Soul Bonded
by CrazyAnimationChick
Summary: He showed her a whole new world and in return she helped him escape their village in order for that world to become a reality. She's aware of how much of a screwup Hiccup is, but Astrid also sees so much potential. She sees hope. But as the months turn to years, he never came back and she too ends up leaving. After all, why would she stay when the citizens of Berk sacrificed her?
1. Chapter 1

I wasn't expecting his answer to my question to be so serious. I've never seen him so serious before in my entire life. Even when he would talk about catching and killing a dragon. He was always serious during those times, but right now...right now doesn't compare to any of those other times. This time, he stood tall, held his head high, stared me right in the eye, and his simple answer, "Yes", came out in a strong, clear voice with no stutter at all.

It was in this moment that I knew...I would follow him anywhere. I would trust him with my life. I would fight, kill, and die for him. My future chief. It was in this moment that I saw the chief in him. The chief I knew he always had in him. Despite everything he's done, I _always_ knew he had the potential to be great. He was just a late bloomer who needed someone to knock some sense into him. All he really needed, however, was the chance to find himself. Not who everyone wanted him to be. It was in this moment that I saw a boy who was about to make history for the better. I saw a boy who was going to bring change. Peace. Peace we haven't had in centuries. I saw a boy who...who was going to die and needed help.

"Okay," I say, after a brief moment of shocked silence, "Then I guess the only thing we can do now is get you out of here like you planned."

"Wait, what?" Hiccup says, his eyes wide, filled with shock and confusion. Even Toothless looked perplexed, his head cocked to the side like a bird. "Did I hear you right?"

"That depends on what you heard," I replied, then turned around to head back to the village. "I'll let you think about what it was I said while I get you more supplies. Don't go anywhere." My whole body stiffens when he suddenly grabs a hold of my hand, holding it gently in his.

"Astrid, wait," Hiccup said, and when I looked back at him, his normal look of nervousness was there on his face.

I couldn't stop the roll of my eyes. "I promise I'm not going to tell your dad," I tell him, dead serious. "After what you showed me...I can't." I didn't mean to put so much emotion in my last two words, but I did. And it felt so odd. Not the emotion part in my words. The part that felt odd was when I decided to keep Hiccup's secret. Not only did I find out that the heir of my tribe is friends with the 'enemy', but I also found the Dragons' Nest with him, something our people have been after for over 300 years. Not telling his father about it...it felt scandalous. Rebellious. Honestly, it made me nervous, and I hate feeling nervous. So unsure. I've always been certain about things that need to be done, that need to happen, and things that I want or need for myself, but now...I no longer feel so sure about them. They're being replaced with a wishful thought of a possible future that might not even come true. Key word: might. There's still a possibility that it will.

I wasn't sure if my mind was playing tricks on me, but I swear I felt Hiccup give my hand a gentle squeeze. Does he still know he's holding it? I would have pulled away, but the poor boy looks like he needs it. I didn't dwell on it though, and went on. "There's no need to be afraid, okay? Believe it or not, I'm your friend. You can trust me. Like how I trusted you with Toothless. Although, it _did_ take me awhile."

"Yeah, I'm really sorry about the traumatizing flight he gave you," He pauses to clear his throat before starting again. "He's...crazy."

"Just like someone else I know." I said, talking about him, and chuckled.

Hiccup chuckles too. "I wonder who that could be." He then goes back to looking nervous. "I do trust you, by the way, and I'm not afraid. I'm just...confused. Why are you helping me? Earlier you beat the Hel out of me, and now you're going to keep my secret from our people? No, _your_ people. Why? Are you seriously thinking about going behind my dad's back? Are you seriously going to help his son, the heir to the tribe, escape?"

And just as he had done earlier, I stood taller, held my head up high, and looked him dead into his eyes, saying the one word he had said to me that sealed my loyalty to him. "Yes."

Hiccup's eyes widen once more and I honestly think he stopped breathing. His hand felt stiff in mine, and while it amused me, I didn't show it. Instead, I went on. "And for the record, I only beat the Hel out of you because I don't tolerate liars. _Cheaters._ I knew something was going on, and I was only looking out for my people. Yeah, I admit I was jealous too, but that's not the only reason why. And whether you like it or not, Berk's people _are_ your people. They're your people too just as much as they are mine."

Hiccup scoffed. "Do you really believe that? You honestly don't think my dad wouldn't kill Toothless or put me on trial for treason if he were to find out? It doesn't matter if I'm his son or the heir. He's a chief before he's a father. He'd banish me, probably have me killed, choose a new heir, and the whole tribe would turn the day into an annual holiday. It would become bigger than Snoggletog. They would celebrate it every year for generations. They'd probably celebrate it every day. Even in death!"

"I wouldn't." I blurted out without meaning to. It took us both by surprise, but I went on. "I would never celebrate something so horrid."

Another surprise for me was Hiccup's small smile. "Is that because it would be a reminder of my tragic fate or simply because it'd be all about me?"

"Both."

He chuckles softly. "Well...then I guess you'd be the only one to not celebrate it, but...thank you."

"I guess you can say I'm just as insane as you." I returned his smile, but it was only for a brief moment before I frowned. "But as for the whole killing Toothless and trial thing...you don't know for sure that your dad would do that."

"And you know for sure that he wouldn't?" Hiccup questioned, sighing. "Astrid, if you truly believe that then why are you even helping me escape?"

"Because I know you'll never expand your knowledge on dragons here," I answered him truthfully, without skipping a beat. I go to continue with my answer but he cuts me off.

"Yeah, because I'll be dead." He remarked.

"Dead _or_ alive, it won't happen. Someone else will find out about you and Toothless. You're lucky that it was me who found you today."

"I don't know," Hiccup began in a teasing tone, "you seemed pretty determined to run off to my dad."

"I wasn't running off to your dad," I lied, pathetically, and looked away. "I was just trying to get away from you."

"Like every other girl I know." Hiccup mutters, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Last I checked, it was _you_ running away from them. You have become very popular lately."

"I honestly didn't think I would top you in dragon training-"

"You didn't," I interrupt, making sure to set him right, "you _cheated,_ remember? So in reality it's still me who's at the top."

Hiccup chuckles. "Okay, you got me there. Be honest though," he asked, almost sounding desperate, "were you really going to tell my dad? Also, do you think my dad would actually kill me?"

He was no longer looking at me when he asked his question. Instead, he was looking at the pond that Toothless was drinking out of, and in his eyes I saw the reflection of the moon, clouded over with a gleam of sadness. "Yes, I was going to tell him," I confessed, feeling guilty, "but you should know that it wasn't because I was out to get you. My sole purpose was to protect the tribe. Not to cause you Hel."

And as much as I wanted to tell him that I didn't think his dad was capable of doing such a thing to him, I couldn't bring myself to say it. It would feel like a lie. "As for your last question, I...I don't know. I really don't." It was the only honest answer I could give him. "Maybe he will, maybe he won't. We don't know for sure. But...if you were able to change my mind, surely you can change his."

Hiccup sighs in defeat. "I'm not going to risk it."

"I know," I say, the softest my voice has ever been. "And for the record, I'm not helping you escape. I'm giving you a sort of push. Escaping is when you run away from your problems, which is not at all what I'm doing. I'm helping you run _towards_ a solution. In hopes that you can bring forth a future that only you can bring. You need to leave Berk so _save_ it."

"I'm pretty sure that's what everyone has been telling me since before I could walk."

Once again, he's being a smartass. I would have punched him for the comment, but I knew his body is probably sore from his earlier beating, which I feel kind of bad for, so I spared him this time. "I'm serious, Hiccup," I said, keeping my tone as stern as his dad's, "You're the first ever viking who couldn't kill a dragon. The first ever viking to ride one. Don't you understand what this could mean for Berk's future? You'll be the first viking ever to bring peace between man and dragon. The first viking _chief._ You're going to go down in history as the greatest viking chief to ever exist. I know it. But you'll never get the chance to bring change to Berk if you stay. If you stay, you might actually end up dead, and I...well, I wouldn't be much help either if I ended up dead too by trying to seek revenge for you."

"You'd…" Hiccup started, bewildered, "you'd seek revenge for my death? Even if it meant betraying and killing my dad if he were the cause of it? Even if it meant your own death?"

That was a question I had an answer to, but was not ready to answer. "In a way, I'm already betraying him. You're also losing focus, and we're both losing time. So...if you could just…" I glance down at our conjoined hands and when Hiccup sees, he jerks his hand away from mine as if I burned him with Nadder fire.

"O-Oh my gods! I...uh...Oh geez. I'm sorry. I-I didn't realize that...How long was I...Why didn't you say something sooner? I'm-"

"A complete mess." I finish for him, laughing a little. "Don't worry about it." I turn around again and start walking. "We have bigger things to worry about."

And for the first time in months, the cold night felt unusually warm.


	2. Chapter 2

An hour later, I returned with everything that Hiccup would need. It was mainly furs to keep him warm, but there was also food to last him a week, and my most beloved possession: my axe. The axe has been in the Hofferson family for generations, given to the first born daughter on her 13th birthday. I've only had it for two years, but I know Hiccup's going to need it more. Even if he doesn't know how to use it. He'll learn though. Just as I had. Although, I had my mom to teach me. Anyway, I trust that Toothless will take care of him. While I don't know the dragon as well as Hiccup, I know he'll make sure his human is well fed, protected, and warm.

Hiccup was doodling in the sand with Toothless watching very attentively when I returned. I knew Toothless was aware of my presence due to his ears twitching, but Hiccup was left unaware. So when I dropped the basket, causing it to land in a loud thud, he yelps in surprise and whirls around.

"Astrid, hey. Hey, Astrid. Hi Astrid...um...welcome back."

I smirked. "Am I supposed to say that I'm glad to be back? Because I'm not. Honestly, I'm very anxious right now."

Hiccup nervously laughs as he rubs his neck. "Yeah, you and me both."

An awkward silence falls for only three seconds, and it was three seconds too long for my comfort. "So," I say before it could drag on, and pointed to the basket, "Here's your stuff. It's mainly furs to keep you warm, but there's also food in there to last you for at least a week. I know you won't starve out there though with Toothless by your side. So please try not to get separated. He needs you too. Also," I remove the lid of the basket and pulled out my axe. "I'm giving you this, and I need to teach you how to wield it real quick before you go."

Hiccup's draw dropped and his eyes popped out of his head. "Is that your axe?! Astrid, I can't take this. This is yours."

"And now it's yours," I say, sternly. "Well, at least it is for the meantime. You're going to borrow it for as long as you're gone. I mean it, Hiccup. Don't even bother arguing with me about it. Besides," I look away, already feeling embarrassed at my next words that haven't even escaped my lips yet, "if you had intended on never coming back, now you have a reason to. But you can only come back if you have a way of changing Berk for the better. You can only come back when you're ready."

"And what if there is no way of changing Berk for the better?" Hiccup asked, worriedly. "What if I'll never be ready?"

I shook my head, but smiled. "You will be. I refuse to believe otherwise. I've always believed that someday you'd make us all proud."

"Always?" Hiccup questioned, his brows narrowing, giving me the same confused expression he gave me the hour before.

"Always." I confirmed. "Hel, Hiccup, look at you right now. You trained a dragon. You're ready for this, Hiccup. You're ready to explore the world, to learn everything you can, and when the time comes I know you'll be ready to lead us into a future of peace that we have been fighting for for centuries. I always saw something in you. All you need is one person to believe in you, and I hope I'm enough to keep you going-"

"You are!" Hiccup loudly interrupted, then clamps his mouth tightly shut when he realized his outburst. He shyly looks away and clears his throat. "Uh...sorry. But I mean it. You are."

I couldn't stop the laugh that escaped me or the heat I felt in my cheeks. "Okay then. Well...let me show you the basics."

It was definitely awkward for the both of us when I tried to show him the proper standing and handling positions. I had tried not to get in his personal space, but he had no idea what the heck he was doing. I had no choice but to get close to him, and while I was a bit awkward since I've never been so close to a male my age, Hiccup's nervous awkwardness definitely surpassed mine.

I ignored it all though and continued on with my short lesson, telling him everything I knew in the short time that we had. When I felt our time was up, I said: "Time's up. Try to remember everything I said and practice as much as you can."

Toothless came to Hiccup's side just then, right as he says: "Thank you, Astrid." Hiccup then climbs in the saddle in one swift motion and once he's settled, he says: "I promise I'll take care of it."

I nodded. "I know you will. Can you promise me something else though?"

"What's that?"

I took a few steps forward, standing right beside Toothless's head, and touched the saddle, keeping it there even though I knew he going to take off just yet. "You showed me a whole new world up there." I look up to the starry night sky. Hiccup did the same. I kept my gaze up and continued:

"You opened my eyes, Hiccup. Promise me when the time comes, when it's right, that you'll do the same with Berk. Show our tribe the world I saw. Help us. Make them believe that we can all live in peace together. Change their minds like you did mine. Most importantly...promise me that you'll come back. Even if...even if there is no hope. Because if there really isn't, if you're so certain, absolutely 100 percent sure that there is no way to establish peace...I want to know."

I looked back at Hiccup and saw that he was already looking at me. I could see all the mixed emotions in his eyes, but only one stood out to me, and that was pain. "Astrid," he began, pausing to swallow. I wonder if his throat suddenly felt tight and dry like mine. "I...I can't promise you all of that. I wish I could, but I can't. They'd be promises I probably wouldn't be able to keep. The only thing I can really promise you is that I'll try."

His honesty made me smile. "Then that's good enough for me."

He stared at me nervously for a brief second before setting his gaze on his fiddling hands in his lap. "A-And since we're being honest, I should probably go ahead and get this off my chest. In case I don't come back." I had to hold back a grimace at that.

"I…" Hiccup started. He then lifted his head to boldly return my gaze. "Astrid, I…" he stops himself again, which caused me to become impatient.

"Hiccup, dawn will be approaching soon, so you better spit it out."

Hiccup suddenly sighs in defeat. "I just...wanted to say that I don't care for Berk as much as you do, but...if or when I come back, you gotta know that it's not because of them. It'll be because of you. And the dragons, but...mostly you."

I didn't like how my heart had increased its beating or how hot my face felt, and I especially didn't like how incredibly shy I had suddenly become. "Yeah, well...you kind of have to come back to me. After all, you have my axe to return."

Hiccup laughs softly. "Yeah, there's that, but it's not the main reason why I'll specifically come back to you."

"And what's the main reason?" I asked, confused but also slightly...hopeful?

"You'll have to find out when I return." The bold playfulness in his voice, along with his smirk, took me by surprise.

"Well," I begin, already knowing that my response is gonna be lame, "I'm looking forward to it. Try not to take too long, and...good luck."

Hiccup smiled fondly at me and said: "Goodbye Astrid."

I shook my head at that. "No, this isn't a goodbye. Goodbye means forever, which this isn't. This is more of a...until we meet again."

Hiccup nods then leans forward and lowers his head, bowing. "Then until we meet again, m'lady."

I smiled as I shook my head at his ridiculousness, then punched him hard in the arm.

"Ow!" Hiccup whined, and before he could ask why I did that, I said: "That was for kidnapping me." And then, I was overcome with a sudden want. Before either of us knew what I was doing, I leaned forward, stood on my tippy toes, grab Hiccup's arm, and pulled him down so I could quickly give him a kiss on the cheek.

"That," I say when I quickly release him and pull away, not once looking at him, "was for everything else." I then quickly turn around before he could say a word and took off running.

I didn't look back when I ran, and due to me not hearing the sound of flapping wings, I knew Hiccup was watching me go. I didn't want to do the same with him, but when I heard a loud whoosh, I couldn't stop myself from looking up into the sky. I could hardly see Toothless due to him blending in so well, but I was thankfully still able to make out his figure, along with Hiccup's.

And as they flew away, my running slowed until I completely stopped. "Go." I whisper once they were out of sight. It was the only thing I was able to say. The only word that really mattered.

Go and prove to our people that everything they thought they knew about you was wrong.

Go out there and become the person you were always meant to be.

Go change the world.


	3. Chapter 3

It's been a year since Hiccup left Berk, and during this time the dragon raids have worsened. A few months after Hiccup had left, their attacks have became an every night routine with more and more dragons showing up each night. Our livestock is the lowest it has ever been in years, and the village is starving and cold. With hardly any sheep, the seamstresses can't make any clothes or blankets out of the sheep's wool, and we can only handle so much fish. Just thinking about another fish-meal is making me sick. I have to eat what I'm given though, especially since even the amount of fish in the sea seems to be going down.

Chief Stoick is doing everything that he can, but for the first couple of months he barely did anything. Stoick was the most stoic I have ever seen him, and yet he was also the most emotional. He never said it out loud, but his actions and facial expressions were enough to tell me that he misses his son. He sent out search parties, questioned everyone, including me, on when we saw him last, and he even sent out a message to other tribes. With that message was a promise of an award.

It was hard lying to him. Not just because he's my chief, but also because he's like a father figure to me. So is Gobber. My father died in a raid when I was a baby, probably a year after Hiccup lost his mother, and the only father figures I had was Stoick and Gobber. Lying to them both about Hiccup was the hardest thing I have ever done, especially since Stoick now lived alone with no family. I felt like I was betraying them. Actually, that's exactly what I did. However, telling them the truth about Hiccup felt like a betrayal as well. Towards Hiccup. It confused the Hel out of me.

I've been loyal to Stoick all my life. My loyalty to Hiccup is new. It was formed within a few hours once he showed me everything I was missing a year ago. However, the thought of betraying Hiccup left a bad taste in my mouth. I didn't like it. I could never do such a thing to him, and yet betraying his father...I would do it again and again no matter how hard.

Not telling him the truth about Hiccup wasn't the only act of betrayal I did. For an entire year, I've done more than extinguish fires during raids. I got rid of the dragons by either scaring them away, giving them exactly what they wanted (i.e the sheep and chickens), and helping them out of traps whenever no one was looking. I even helped the dragons captured and used in dragon training by freeing them. Every time I would set them free, a new set of dragons would be brought in a few days later, and just like I would do before, I would release them in the dead of the night. It's always easy to set them free due to the raiding dragons that would distract the village.

Gobber and Stoick were always left puzzled as to how they kept escaping, but not once have they ever questioned anyone. And while I never killed a dragon, not before or after Hiccup left, I was still responsible for some of their deaths by helping others hold them down. They would suspect me for sure if I didn't help. The first time that happened after Hiccup left...I cried. I was alone in my room when I did it, but...it was the first time ever where I cried over a dragon. It was the first time ever where I saw a dragon cry too. It was the first time ever where I saw their fear.

I had grown up eagerly waiting for my first kill and ever since that night with Hiccup...killing a dragon became the number one thing I swore I would never do. Ever since that night where I held that dragon down and watched as my mother slaughtered it...killing a dragon became a nightmare. Speaking of nightmare, the Monstrous Nightmare that Hiccup was supposed to kill was offered to me a few weeks after Hiccup's departure. When Hiccup didn't show up for his final test, it was put on hold to find him. When he was never found, Gobber, Gothi, and Stoick gave me their blessing to kill the beast.

I refused, of course, and said that the dragon belonged to Hiccup and him alone. Snotlout wanted that dragon more than anyone else, and never have I ever been more grateful to Chief Stoick for shutting him down. I set the Monstrous Nightmare and the other dragons free that same night. I was afraid that Stoick would change his mind, and thus my first dragon release plan came to be.

I'm honestly surprised I haven't been caught, but at the same time I'm not. Ever since I could understand words, all everyone has ever told me was that I was the brightest shieldmaiden in my generation. Of course, I haven't been caught. I've got brains _and_ brawn. People would never suspect one of their best warriors either. I'm safe as long as I'm careful.

But still, after a year of dragons escaping you'd think Stoick would put up better locks on the cages or have vikings guarding the arena. He's done neither.

I pray that I can keep this going. So far I think I can. A year has passed already, but I know the odds won't always be in my favor. I can't ever stop being on alert. I can't ever stop being careful. Because if I slip up...the dragons and I are both going to end up dead.


	4. Chapter 4

The second anniversary of Hiccup's departure was a month ago. By now, everyone believes he's dead. I know he's not. I don't know for certain, but deep within my very soul I just know that he's not. How can I believe him to be dead when I constantly dream about him being alive? About him living happily in a dragon utopia? The only thing that disturbs me in these dreams is that it's only him and me that live in this world. No other person from Berk ever makes their appearance in my dreams. Just him and...me. The second thing that disturbs me is that our utopia isn't even on Berk. I don't know where we are. It's the same place every time, but this same place isn't Berk. The third thing that disturbs me is that I like how things are in my dreams. No Berk, no stubborn, murderous vikings, no war. Just Hiccup, me, dragons, and...peace.

I sometimes think my dreams only came to be because of Stoick declaring Snotlout his new heir. He had done so during Snoggletog a few months ago, and while everyone was ecstatic, I felt sick. Snotlout is the absolute worst choice. I know Stoick knows that. He only chose Snot due to him being the next in line; he's Stoick's nephew. Sure, Snotlout has the strength and determination needed to be chief, but there's so much more to being chief than just those two qualities. There are other qualities needed, and Snotlout does not have any of them.

It's not uncommon for chiefs to choose someone who isn't blood related to be chief. He could have chosen me to be chief, and I told him straight up how I felt about it.

"Snotlout will kill us all before the dragons do, Chief," I had said to him once I got him alone after his announcement. "I know that he's next in line after Hiccup, but you're able to choose someone else. The heir doesn't have to be blood related. Why didn't you choose someone else?"

"You mean you?" Stoick had asked, amused.

Of course he knew I was talking about myself and of course I wanted to take the role. With me in charge I could help bring peace. Not more destruction. "Yes, but I also wouldn't mind if it were someone else. There are plenty of vikings who are better qualified for the role than Snotlout. Berk has had plenty of chiefs who were women, plenty of chiefs who weren't blood born, so why didn't you choose me?"

"Because Astrid," Stoick had said, his voice stern but also tired, "the previous Chieftesses of our tribe have struggled more than any male chief Berk has ever had in our history. And yes, it's because they were women. However, it never had anything to do with their physical or mental state. They only ever struggled so much because of the stubborn viking chiefs of different tribes who deliberately wanted to make their lives Hel. Who saw them as nothing more than objects. Property to be owned. They've had to deal with men who are worse than dragons. You're like a daughter to me. I don't want you to suffer with what those strong, brave women had to go through."

"Are you saying I'm not strong and brave like them?" I had asked, as calm as I could possibly be as I shoved back the attitude that wanted to cover my tone.

"No," Stoick had chuckled, "You're exactly like them, but a lot of them...a lot of them did things that I don't ever want you to do. I know you can take care of yourself, but by not choosing you as my heir, I'm protecting you. Besides," he had put his large hands on my shoulders and smiled fondly at me, "I can't see you being Chief."

"Why is that?" I had asked as I stared up at him.

"Because for some reason, I see you having a different purpose. You're going to help Berk in your own way that's going to make me and everyone else proud. I know it."

The only way I can help Berk is by helping Hiccup help Berk. And that's by making peace with the dragons once he's learned everything there is to know about them and returns. Who knows how long that will take.

I just hope Berk will still be standing by the time Hiccup comes back. I honestly don't think we'll survive another year.


	5. Chapter 5

By the time the third anniversary comes and goes, a third of Berk's population is gone. Some of my people have perished due to dragon attacks, sickness, starvation, or the cold. My mother was one of the fallen.

She died because she was severely sick. I sometimes wonder if I would still be a dragon sympathizer if it was a dragon that killed her. While I hate that she died a slow painful death, I'm glad she didn't die in the wrath of a dragon who was just trying to protect itself. It's bittersweet.

Her death left me an orphan. It tore me apart. For an entire two months, I did nothing to help Berk or the dragons. I didn't help man or beast during the raids, I didn't help Gobber teach the new recruits in dragon training like I had been doing for a year, I didn't free the captured dragons that were being used, I didn't help around the village, I hardly ate, I hardly slept, and I didn't even lift a weapon to blow of steam. Not even the spare axe my mom had given me the following days after I gave mine to Hiccup.

When I told her I had "lost" the family heirloom axe at sea, I was lucky that she didn't care at all about it. "It's just an axe, Astrid" she had said, "I'd rather lose the axe over and over again than you." And she never did lose me. It was me who lost her.

After my two months of mourning, the third month came and with it...came more bad news.

It was the second week of the month when they came, and by they I don't mean the dragons. I mean our number one enemy tribe. The Sinister Saboteurs. Word had got out by traders that Berk had become the weakest it has ever been, so of course our human enemies would pay a visit.

I hadn't touched my spare axe, any weapon actually, in three months. However, once the Sinister Saboteurs arrived, I wore multiple weapons on my body like armour. The spare axe hung on my back, two knives were in each boot, two other knives hung from my belt on either side of my hips, and two more knives were hiding under my long sleeves, wrapped around my skin tightly to keep them in place. I had to be extra careful whenever I would walk. If not, my forearms would end up getting stabbed.

And now that I'm 18, I'm allowed to participate in the meeting between the two chiefs. I wanted to be there, but even if I didn't it wouldn't have mattered. Stoick needed me there. I'm one of his best, and few, warriors despite the fact that I haven't proven myself worthy by killing a dragon. In case a fight breaks out, my chief is going to need me.

Sylvester, the Saboteur Chief who's around the same age as Stoick, had talked a lot of shit that of course had my people and I on edge. He had claimed he knew about what was happening to Berk, which we knew he knew about. Why else would he show up when he never has before? And to make matters even more drastic, he promised not to take over Berk, if and only if, he received a bride. A young bride. Stoick refused, but after Sylvester had made more threats, more promises, some 'good' some definitely bad, he finally gave in.

"Very well," Stoick said, defeated and obviously full of guilt. "I'll gather every young unmarried girl from the ages of-"

And of course...I spoke up. "No," I said, my voice loud, clear, and full of venom when I interrupted him. Everyone's attention had turned to me, but their stares did nothing to break me from my focus. Not even the eyes of the Saboteur chief could stop me from speaking my mind.

"Astrid," Snotlout said from where he stood next to Stoick, "This is no time to-"

"To what?" I snapped as I started to move. "To start a fight? Are you afraid? Because I'm not."

I had stormed past everyone, who willingly moved out of my way, and kept my icy glare on the sinister man who dared to threaten my home and people.

"Oh we're definitely dead," I heard Tuff say to his sister as I walked past them.

She replied with a chuckle and said, "This is gonna be good."

When I stopped walking, I took no hesitation in speaking my mind. "You're not going to lay a hand on any woman in my tribe. Not woman, man, or child. Young or old. Weak or strong. You're not going to harm anyone. We don't want your promises of an alliance. It's nothing but a lie. And we especially we don't want or even need your help. We're fine on our own. The only thing we want and need is for you to get the Hel out of here."

I was standing directly in front of him, showing no fear. How could I possible be afraid when I'm so angry? So very angry. I was angry at the dragon queen who had made the raids worse. At my mom for dying. At this new asshole who's threatening my home. At Hiccup for not coming back sooner. At everyone who had given him Hel. At myself for never stopping his bullies. At his father who had also given him Hel, and who had gave up so easily just now. I am so just fucking angry. So much, in fact, that the thought of slicing Sylvester's throat right here and now brought a wicked smile to my face.

"Do I make myself clear?" I asked, and much to my annoyance, he laughs. I saw it coming though. What grown man would be afraid of an 18 year old girl?

"Stoick," Sylvester says as he turns away from me and walks closer to my chief, "there's no need to gather your young girls." He then looks back at me. "My chosen is right here."

My boiling blood suddenly went cold as my eyes widened in shock. My heart felt as though it had stopped beating, and my breath caught in my throat. However, others gasped for me. I wanted nothing more than to attack him, but knew that if I did, it would be a big mistake. The smirk on his face and the challenge in his eyes was his way of reminding me that it would be the biggest mistake of my life. The look he was giving me was his way of daring me. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted.

The only thing I could do was curse. "You old, disgusting son of a bitch."

Sylvester and his men laugh. "I'll let that slide since we're not married, but I hope you know that once we are, those comments are not going to be well treated."

"I'll never marry you. I'd rather die!" I took a step forward to show him that I'm not afraid, that I'm not going to back down, that I'm prepared to fight. His men, however, considered it a threat, which I took as a compliment, and stepped toward me with their axes and swords ready, making me stop as Sylvester stops them with the lift of his hand.

"Never say never," he says to me as he walked closer. I nearly stepped back to prepare myself to fight, but knew if I did that he would think me to be afraid. I'm not. I'm on alert, but I'm not afraid. I'm never afraid.

So instead I stood my ground, continued to glare, and clenched my hands, turning them into fists so I could ignore their want of wielding my axe or knives. "But," the man continued, as he circled me like the revolting predator that he is, "how about we put it to a vote?"

My brows raised in interest. A vote? Doesn't he know he'll lose? I'm not complaining though. If it's a losing vote he wants, then so be it. "What do you say, Stoick?" The rival chief asked. He stood right behind me, so close that I could feel his breath on the back of my neck. I nearly threw up at the smell.

"Please," Stoick said, begging, "if you could just...choose someone else-"

"Yeah!" Snotlout interrupted. "Astrid is mine and you can't have her! She's my betrothed!"

"Would you like to duel for her then?"

"Wait what? HEL no am I going to do that!"

"Then she's mine for the taking."

"Excuse me?!" I exploded, now wanting to kill Snot for his stupidity. "I am not nor have I ever been yours Snotlout, and I especially don't belong to you," I spat at Sylvester. "I belong to no one! I am not a prize or an object or a piece of land to be owned-"

"Well you better get used to the idea, sweetheart because my decision has been made," Sylvester interrupts in a snap, "now it's time for your people to decide your fate. So what do you say Stoick?"

I didn't like the fact that Stoick had not only begged, but he had also tried to offer some other girl to take my place. I also didn't like his next words. "Very well, but we must do so in private without you and your men." His eyes landed on mine. "Along with you Astrid."

Knots suddenly formed in my stomach and I didn't like the sad guilty look he gave me. It looked as if he was already grieving, as if he already knew what the vote was going to be, as if...as if he knew that our people were going to sacrifice me. He wouldn't think so lowly of them. I don't think so lowly of them. I know they would never do such a thing, especially to me. And yet…

Fearful doubt started to consume me.

Stoick had called Gothi over to him, and whispered to her, which caused her to nod. He then whispered something else, and this time...she shook her head. Next thing I know she's walking toward me and leading me out of the Great Hall through the back way, while our rival clan went out the front. Gobber had came with us after whispering something to Stoick, and when the three of us were alone in Gobber's forge, I finally found myself able to breathe and speak.

"This is seriously fucked up."

"Aye, lass, it is." Gobber said, looking like he could really go for a drink.

"I mean, seriously!" I exclaimed, still very much pissed off but now slightly scared. Because yeah, I lied...I am afraid. I'm pissed off because I'm afraid. I'm afraid for my people and the things he'll do to them, to me...because when my people tell him that they're not going to sacrifice me I know he's going to start a war right then and there, and if we do end up losing he's going to end up taking me just like he wanted. And if he does...I know the things he'll do to me are things that I should be afraid of. Things I already am afraid of. Rape, torture, etc etc…

I'm also pissed off because I'm afraid that my tribe will give me away. That they'll vote yes. I hate that I'm doubting my people and it's pissing me the Hel off. They would never do that. They would never give me up. And yet...the majority of these people had no problem bullying Hiccup, the heir. They were glad that he came up missing. They were glad that they thought him to be dead. Yes, he made a lot of mistakes. Hiccup was weak, clumsy, was never where he was supposed to be, didn't know how to shut up, caused more destruction than the dragons, but he had one hell of a good heart. So good, in fact, that he couldn't kill a dragon, a Night Fury, the one thing that he knew would have changed everyone's perspective of him.

Despite his status, he was still picked on. So despite my status...is it possible that they'd actually give me up? Our people are dying after all. We barely have any resources to last us for the rest of the year. Does status even mean anything? Because even Stoick, my Chief, was briefly begging. And so, before I could stop myself, I began to pace back and forth and started to ramble.

"A vote?! Really? Does Sylvester really think my tribe is going to give me up like I'm some piece of property? Their women might be treated that way, but the women here are not. He just set himself up for a loss. Not that I'm complaining. The only thing that bothers me is that Stoick had me leave. We could have quickly gotten it over with by simply asking everyone if they wanted me to be sacrificed or not, which I know everyone would decline to."

"Plus," I went on, "The whole idea is so fucking stupid. I mean, come on. Does anyone really believe that if he has a beautiful young Berkian wife, wait I mean sex slave, that he's actually going to stay in an alliance with us? That he's not going to attack as soon as he's bored and done with me? Or how about as soon as he leaves with me? Which won't happened because Stoick and our people would never vote for that, but it's just a thought. Does he really think we're that stupid? If anyone's stupid it's him. Right, Gobber?" Please tell me I'm right.

I was used to Gothi's silence, but not Gobber's. When I received no response from him, my pacing stopped and I over looked at him in confusion. "Gobber?" He still said nothing as his kept his gaze on the blazing fire that burned in the lamp he had on the cluttered table. "You...You did hear me right? Because I am in no mood to repeat myself."

Gobber finally sighs, his shoulders slouching, and tiredly says, "Aye, lass, I did, but…" He trails off, looking the most defeated, most drained, I have ever seen him. My worry increased, as did my heart beat, which was already at its peak when Sylvester had said he chose me as his bride.

"But what, Gobber?" I asked as I tried to hide to worry in my tone. I'm pretty sure I failed.

"Astrid," he begins, finally looking up at me. "This isn't the first time Berk has had to sacrifice a young girl, and...I have a really bad feeling that...that the tribe will agree to it."

I felt as though someone had punched me right in the gut and my knees felt weak too. "What?" I say, my voice in a sharp whisper, filled with disbelief as I gripped the table beside me so I wouldn't fall.

"Astrid," Gobber starts again, "our people admire you, but one third of our population is gone. It's going to become two thirds, then all. More and more dragons keep taking the livestock and even the fish every night. Why do you think the Saboteurs came during the middle of the day? The winters are also getting colder, to keep it short we're dying. The people are going to take any help they can get. Even if it means siding with the enemy. Even if it means...sacrificing one of our own."

"But...but we can fight!" I yelled, not caring if our enemies heard. "We can fight back Gobber. This is bullshit-"

"I know it is, but Astrid," he comes forward and puts his hands on my shoulders, probably so I wouldn't storm out. Or maybe it was because he saw my knees buckle and wanted to keep me standing. "We don't have many warriors left, and compared to the Saboteurs we're definitely outnumbered. I told Stoick that my vote is no, but I'm not so sure about the others."

"And what about Stoick's vote?" I asked, not even bothering to hide my panic. "Are you sure about his? His is the one that matters most, right? The only vote that matters. He's the chief for Odin's sake!"

Gobber shook his head. "That's not how it works. If his vote was the only vote that mattered, the others wouldn't even be included. It'd just be a waste of time."

My eyes began to sting and I knew why. I was about to fucking cry. My mouth also felt dry, my throat felt tight, and my stomach churned like it never has before, not even when I went flying with Hiccup and Toothless. I ignored the uncomfortable sensations, and forced myself not to form anymore tears. I knew he saw the ones that had already formed though, and as I looked away, thinking of something to say, a knock was heard outside of the forge.

"The votes are in," said whoever it was, most likely a Berkian. I doubt the Saboteurs know how to knock. They only know how to knock things out of their way.

Those four words caused my body to freeze and bile to rise up to my throat. I almost gagged at the taste. Good Odin, I just threw up in my mouth. This...this is not good. Doubting them...losing my faith in my people...it's bad enough for me since I've always trusted them. But now...after hearing what Gobber said…

"Let's go, lass," Gobber said, and began leading me out of the forge.

Every step felt like he was sending me to my death. Perhaps he is.

When we make it back inside the Great Hall, I was greeted with nothing but silence. The Saboteurs stared at me with hungry eyes, Sylvester looked as though he was starving with lust, and my own people...they looked at me with eyes filled with pity, guilt, and sadness. That alone was all the proof I needed. I knew exactly what their answer was. I couldn't believe it, my body nearly shut down completely, but I willed myself not to react until Stoick said the words out loud. And I prayed like I never had before that he would say something else.

He didn't.

"The people of Berk have voted," he said, his voice loud, but emotionless. "We agree to the terms given to us and gift you with this young sacrificial bride in exchange for your alliance."

The tears that had formed in my eyes as I had walked from the forge to the Great Hall, the tears I was fighting back, finally fell down my cheeks at his words, and when I lowered my head to hide myself, I tried my fucking hardest not to shake and release a sob. I already knew the answer as soon as I walked in, but...I didn't have any verbal proof. I still stupidly had hope. I prayed, but the Gods didn't listen. They betrayed me. So did my people. Is this my punishment for betraying them first?

I felt Sylvester approach me, and when he did I put my right arm over my left and pressed them close to my stomach, looking as though as I sort or hugging myself. Really though, it was to grab the hilt of my two hidden knives that hid under my sleeves. "Don't cry my love," Sylvester said as he peered closer to my ear. He grabbed the end of my braid, which was pulled to the front, hanging right over my left breast. "Your eyes should never be wet. Only your pus-" His fingers had purposely grazed over my nipple, and that, along with the vulgar comment he was about to make, was all that did it to make me snap.

I prepared myself for the pain and had cut him off by head banging him, which sent him stumbling backwards. When he did I swiftly released my knives from my sleeves, kicked him to the ground to where he landed on his stomach, crouched down over his back, pulled his head back by the hair, and placed a sharp blade over his throat. I had moved so fast that everything is honestly kind of a blur to me, and Sylvester's men sure as Hel didn't expect it because they didn't come to his aid until after I put my knife against his throat. They rushed toward us, but I pressed the blade harder against their leader's skin. "Take one more step and I swear to every God I know that I will slice his throat and force you all to drink his blood."

"Do as she says!" Sylvester cried out, and it brought an evil smirk to my face. Finally, he's afraid.

His men stayed where they stood, but I kept the blade right where it belonged, and said: "I'll give you two choices. Choice one is that you and your men leave with your lives and never show yourselves back on Berk again. Choice two is that I kill you right now if you don't agree to choice one. Choose wisely." Personally, I wanted him to choose choice two.

I've never killed a person before-I still haven't killed a dragon, nor will I ever-but it eases me knowing that he's a bad man that deserves death. I'd be doing a lot of people a favor by ending his life. It's what warriors do. They kill to protect.

"I hope you know that if you kill me, it'll be your death that follows, along with the death of your people." Sylvester spat, his hatred matching mine. "As soon as you slice my throat, my men won't hesitate to do the same to the people of Berk. We'd be doing you a favor though. You have the dragons and nature fast on your trail. Berk will be completely gone in the next year or two. Death will come to you all sooner or later. Why not get it over with now? All you gotta do is-"

I pressed the knife harder against his neck until a small trickle of blood oozed out. Sylvester hissed in pain, which caused his men to shift uncomfortably where they stood. I kept my eyes on each of them as I spoke, interrupting their leader. "Trust me, I know exactly what I have to do."

"But you won't do it, will you?" Sylvester taunted, his bravery coming back. "You know how weak your people have gotten, how many few warriors you have left, you know you wouldn't stand a chance. You wouldn't risk their lives, you wouldn't sacrifice them...like they did you."

I pulled his hair back harder. "Shut up." I hissed, hating how my heart had ached at his words.

"Should you even call them your people?" He went on. "They gave you up to me. Now you should do the same."

"By leaving with you?" I released a bitter, humorless laugh. "In your dreams."

"Or by killing me, which would then be the cause of their deaths. Give them up to death, my love. The choice is yours. Just one quick slice is all you gotta do. Choose wisely."

He had repeated my words and it took every ounce of power I had not to do as he says. Now that he wants me to do it, I want to do it even less. But pain...pain is something I will definitely deliver. I slowly deepened the cut on his throat, which caused him to groan, and his men to jitter even more where they stood. They still didn't move due to their master not giving the word. Such obedient dogs. Their chief is right, one quick slice and he'll be long gone. However, so will my people. He's right about that too.

They don't deserve to die. Not even the ones that voted me out. They're just trying to survive. So am I. However, they didn't even bother to fight back. Would fighting back be a bad idea? Probably, but battles are never good for either side anyway. My people didn't try to fight, to search for an alternative...they have no honor. They're being selfish, and yet...so am I. I'd be helping my tribe 'live' if I go with him, I'd be doing an honorable thing, but I know that Sylvester is lying. They'd still die at his hand whether I went willingly or not. How can they not see that? If I go with Sylvester, and if he's generous, they'd only be living for a few extra hours.

"Who all voted for me to go?" I asked, loud and clear to my people as I stared out at each familiar face in the crowd. "Which ones betrayed me?"

"We didn't betray you, Astrid," Stoick spoke, desperately, "We...we did what we had to. To survive. To save our people-"

"Am I not your people too, Stoick?!" I snapped, yelling at him like I have never done before, but of course my voice cracked with emotion, both angry and sad. I squeezed my eyes tightly shut so no tears, which were still fucking forming, could fall. "What was your vote, Stoick?" I asked after a brief moment of silence.

Stoick answered without missing a beat. "I said no, but Astrid, my vote alone doesn't matter. They all mattered. In the end, the majority decided for you to-"

"I know what they decided," I interrupted again, and shook my head, "and I am not going to let you all decide my fate."

"Astrid," Stoick pleaded, "please. Don't you understand that you'll be helping Berk? You'll be saving it. Where is your honor-"

"Where is yours?! And you really believe in this lying piece of scum?" I asked, bewildered. I then scoffed and shook my head again. "You told me once that instead of becoming your heir I would have a different purpose for Berk. Is this the purpose you saw? A sex slave?"

The guilt in his eyes became pained and as he opens his mouth to answer, I couldn't stop myself from revealing my most hidden secret. "You know what, maybe this is all my punishment. After all, it was me who has been rescuing the dragons from the arena these past three years." The crowd gasped in shock. Eyes had gone wide, jaws fell, and I went on. "That's right. It was me who betrayed you. It was me who would help them out of their traps when no one was looking during the raids and it was also me who helped Hiccup leave. Oh and there's another thing," I let go of Sylvester's hair, removed the knife at his throat, and placed one foot on the back of his neck to keep him there on the ground. I then pointed one of my knives at Stoick and said, "I know where the dragons' nest is at."

More gasps were heard followed by murmurs. The guilt in Stoick's eyes was replaced with shock. "What?!" He hissed then stood up. I willed myself not to take a step back. Not out of fear, but out of habit. "What do you mean you-"

"It means exactly how it sounds," I interrupted again. "Let's just say that Hiccup is better off. And you know what...so am I."

Anger then filled his eyes. "Astrid," he shouted my name and I didn't even jump, "you better start explaining-"

"Sorry, but I can't," I remove my foot from Sylvester's neck and stepped away, "I'm about to be shipped off." Honestly, any impulse control I had was gone. I have no idea what I plan on doing, but I do know that I'm getting the Hel out of here. I'm not staying on Berk and I sure as Hel am not going with the Saboteurs. I need to get outside and run. Maybe...maybe I don't need to run. Maybe I can fly. Wait...we don't have any dragons held captive. Shit.

"Sorry love," Sylvester said, coughing as he got on his two feet, "as much as I enjoyed your tantrum I do believe that I simply won't be able to handle it." He wipes the blood away from his neck, staring at me with lust in his eyes. "You're a very seductive woman. A woman of fire. I'll go as far and say you have the soul of a dragon. Which is where I draw the line," he snaps his fingers and all of his men draw out their weapons, "because I hate dragons."

My people drew out their weapons too and as soon as they did a loud roar was heard and next thing I knew something large came crashing through the ceiling. I was in so much shock that the air was completely knocked out of me. Or maybe it was because I had hit my head hard against the ground when I fell back. Either way, I stopped breathing, and the dust was not making it any better.

I heard people shouting and screaming, and through my blurry vision I saw the dragon towering right in front of me. Almost as if...it was protecting me. I also saw my people trying to fight the dragon, but kept pushing them back with the force of its roar. It wasn't using any fire. What's even more surprising was the masked person who rode on top of it.

Hiccup?!

No, it can't be. The dragon isn't a Night Fury. Unless...no. There's no way Toothless died. I refuse to believe it. There's no way that the rider is Hiccup. So who the Hel is it?

As the dragon kept roaring, I hear Sylvester calling out to his men from the front part of the room towards the doors. When I turn my head, I see that every single one of them was running away. Cowards. At least Sylvester is letting his men go through the door first before he does. However, the only problem I had with that was that, as his men ran out the doors, he looked directly at me. He smiled wickedly, and it made me think for a moment that the dragon and its rider were part of his plan.

And when the dragon suddenly picks me up when I was distracted, it kind of sealed the deal that they were part of his plan.

I was so distracted at Sylvester and his men running away that I hadn't noticed the breeze that was made by the dragon's wings as it flew in the air, nor did I see it make a ring of fire, separating me from my people. It was just the dragon, rider, and I in the circle of fire. I didn't have any time to think or move, my head still throbbed, everything was still blurry, and in all honesty, it happened so fast that I doubt I would have even realized it if I didn't hit my head.

It wasn't until I was in the dragon's clutches and in the air that I started to come to the realization that this was all actually happening. I panicked and did the only thing I was able to do: I pathetically hit its legs over and over again. "Let me go!" I yelled as I hit it. "Let me go you son of a bitch! I'm not going to be his sex slave! I'm not going to marry him! I'd rather die! I swear to the Gods I will kill you and Sylvester and all of his men! Let me go right now or I'll-"

"Calm down Astrid. I must say, you really are a Hofferson woman that's for sure," I hear the rider say, and I froze at the sound.

It's a woman. None of Sylvester's warriors are women. Which means she and her dragon aren't with them. I should have known. After all, he did say he hates dragons, so why would he side with them? Unless the dragon's only purpose is for war. Plus, he said he doesn't want me, so if they were with him and were spying, surely they would have heard him say he doesn't want me anymore. Unless they knew he was lying. But the fact that the rider is a woman is enough proof for me to know that she's good. Well...at least I hope she is. I may not know her, and I may be dangling from a dragon yet again, but I sure as Hel trust her a lot more than Sylvester. I'll gladly take this outcome.

"How do you know my name?" I asked, harshly. "Who the Hel are you? Are you with the Saboteurs?" I knew she wasn't, but I still had to check.

I wish I could see the woman's face, but all I saw was the dragon's belly. Silence was heard, and at first I thought she didn't hear me, but then, "I'm an old friend. That's how I know your name. Also, it was said multiple times during the meeting."

"I don't recall my last name being said."

"That's because, as I said, I'm an old friend," the woman replied. "My name is Valka by the way, and no I'm not with the Saboteurs. Anymore questions you have will be answered later. It'd be better for the both of us to be face to face and somewhere safe. Now try to rest."

"Easy for you to say. You're not dangling in the air like I am," I grumbled, definitely annoyed and pissed off at everything. Valka merely chuckles and says nothing more.

And since I didn't have anything else to do, I looked at the scenery for as long as I could before finally closing my eyes. My head still throbbed, but I ignored it, and relaxed as much as I could, waiting for sleep to find me. It took forever, but when it finally came, I happily accepted it.


	6. Chapter 6

When my eyes fluttered open, the first thing I saw was fire. The normal reaction would be to quickly jump up and move away, but I was too tired to move in a fast pace. Instead, I remained lying down, and moved my gaze away from the fire to observe my surroundings, which left me confused. I'm not in my room. I'm not in any room. I'm in a sort of...cave?

I slowly sit up, wincing only a little at the mild pain in my head. I go to touch the area, and found a piece of cloth wrapped around it. Did someone treat my head? Was I wounded? What-

And just like that, everything came flying back to me. The Saboteurs, my tribe giving me away like property, me coming clean to Stoick about Hiccup and me saving the dragons, Valka and her dragon barging in and stealing me away-more like rescue actually...it all happened. Holy shit. Did it really? Or was it all a dream? Am I still dreaming now? Honestly, I don't know if I should wish I was.

I know I'm not dreaming though. I'm smarter than that. Everything that happened yesterday, or whatever day it was considering how long I've been out, felt too real. Right now feels too real. Because it is real. And if that's the case, where the Hel is Valka? I have a shit load of questions to ask, and number one on the list is if she knows Hiccup. Did he convert her to love dragons as he had done with me? Or was she already a dragon rider? If that's the case, then she would be the first person to ride a dragon, not Hiccup. Have they met though? I hope they did. Maybe she can tell me where he's at. Oh my gods! What if he's with her now?!

I immediately stood up, faster than lighting, and bolted out of the cave, ignoring every throb in my head. However, as soon as I made it outside, I stopped and stared out at the scenery in bewilderment. "Oh my gods," I breathed out, my eyes wide and unwilling to blink.

Towering over the landscape and I was a roof made of ice, but despite the icy sky the climate is warm and the plant life is thriving. Green lichen clings to basaltic rocks and ferns have made a home for themselves in the relatively flat plateaus, steps, and cliffs. There are waterfalls, hot springs, and most importantly, what really caught my interest…

Dragons.

I couldn't stop myself from walking further away from the cavern to observe the breathtaking scene. Hundreds, probably thousands of them, flew everywhere, and there were so many species. There were a lot I knew, but there were even more that I had no name for or any knowledge of. They flew together in groups, and the ones that weren't flying were either playing, sleeping, or eating. They all looked so at peace, and didn't even notice me as I slowly walked by.

I spoke too soon, however, because next thing I know, something tackles me to the ground. I yelp in surprise as I fall and immediately reached for my axe, only it wasn't there on my back. I would have gone for my knives, but by then I realized that it was only a group of large baby-like dragons who had tackled me and were causing no harm. All they did was lick me like their life depended on it, and it tickled me more than my mother's human hands ever did. I couldn't stop the laughter that escaped me.

"Okay, okay," I say as I squirmed and tried to catch my breath. "I can see that you're all very excited to see me," I pause to laugh when the purple one licked my neck, "but hasn't your mother told you not to mess around with strangers? Especially humans?"

To my surprise a voice answered me. "They don't have a mother to tell them such things."

The dragons all suddenly left me and as I sat up, I saw the three of them run towards a woman. She fed each one a single fish and told them to run along. They did as she said, and of course I was left amazed.

"But I do suppose I'm the closest thing they have to one," she continued, smiling, "but telling them not to tackle human strangers isn't something I normally do because we don't ever have visitors. You're the second one we've had in 18 years."

"You've been here for 18 years?" I asked, once again left in shock. "Where exactly are we anyway? And who are you? Are you…" I pause to remember the name of the rider who saved me. "...Valka?"

The woman nods. "Yes, I am. As to where we are, we're hidden away within a mountain range far from civilization," Valka answered as she walks toward me. Despite the fact that she rescued me from Sylvester and despite the fact that she hasn't killed me yet, I still stiffened in alert when she approached me. She's still a stranger after all. I can't get too comfortable with her so quickly. "This place is like a safe haven for the dragons, a sanctuary. I bring many dragons here when they have nowhere else to go or if they're on the brink of death."

"Wait," I interrupt, slightly confused but heavily impressed, "you saved these dragons?"

Valka nods. "The majority of them, yes. However, when I first arrived, there was probably already about one to two hundred of them here. Now they total in the thousands."

"You said you've been here for 18 years. How old does that make you?" I asked. She doesn't look that old, she's actually very pretty for a woman her age, but since she's not dreadfully aged it makes me wonder how young she was when she first arrived.

Valka chuckles. "You never ask a woman her age," she teased. "But I'm feeling generous. I'm 38 years old. I've been here since I was 20."

"You were only two years older than what I am now," I say and realized as I took a moment to look around that we were the only humans around. "Are you...the only human here? Have you been alone all this time?"

Valka scoffs. "Alone you say? I was never alone. I had the dragons to keep me company, and from time to time I would mingle around in towns, stealing supplies, socializing with humans when I felt lonely, and whatnot. But yes, I am the only human here."

"So," I begin, moving on as I noted what she said, "you were in Berk when you saved me. Does that mean the only reason you were even there was so you could steal from us? Have you stolen from us before? If so, how long have you been doing so?" I suddenly felt a bolt of anger surge through me. We barely had enough food and supplies. What all has she stolen from us? Another sudden thought comes forth and I couldn't stop myself from angrily saying: "Did you ever participate in the raids? Have you ever controlled the dragons to do your bidding? Do you work with the Dragon Queen or does she work for you? Do-"

"Whoa, slow down," Valka interrupts, "I know you have a lot of questions, and I promise I'll answer every one with pure honesty, but first I really think you should go wash up. Your wound needs a new wrapping, and a dragon's saliva is hard to wash out."

She's right about that. I've been licked by a dragon before as its way of showing me gratitude for saving it, and never have I ever struggled with washing my clothes. I'm also covered in sweat and dirt. I probably look like scum, and I know I sure as Hel smell like it too.

"Okay," I say, "but first you're going to answer the ones I just asked."

She nods. "Very well. Yes, the reason why I was there yesterday was so I could steal some supplies. Yes, I've stolen from Berk before. I've been doing it for years. I only ever go at night though, but I was desperate yesterday and decided to take my chance and go during the day. That's when I overheard everything going on with you and the Saboteurs and came to your aid. I only participate in the raids whenever I'm drastically low on supplies, but as I said earlier I was desperate yesterday and couldn't wait for night to fall and for the dragons to attack. I also help any trapped dragons whenever I come, which is probably only twice a year. Since I am the dragons' caretaker a lot of them do listen to me and do as they're asked, but I never tell them to do anything evil if that's what you meant. And no, I don't work for the Queen Dragon or vice versa."

As a warrior, I should have been skeptical and cautious, but I believed every word she said. There was just something about her, and no it wasn't because she helped me. Maybe it's because...I lost my mom and...Valka just has this….motherly flare to her despite her not being a mother. Unless...she is? I guess I'll have to ask her later. In a weird way, she also reminds me of Hiccup, who I also need to ask her about. But first I need to keep my word.

Valka gave me some spare clothes and pins in case they were too big, along with soap and bandages for my wound. She then took me to a isolated hot spring and left me to care for myself. I would have taken my time with my bath, but I was too anxious and impatient. I need my other questions answered badly. So I washed myself as quickly as I could, and when that was done and my clothes were on, which were big but not by much, I made my way back to the cavern and was surprised to see Valka preparing a plate of food for me.

"Don't worry," she said when she saw me, "I didn't poison it." She turns completely around and hands it to me.

I take the plate, which I realized was cooked fish, and felt my stomach rumble with hunger. I may not like fish anymore since it's all I've been eating for months, but I'm starving. I'll take what I can get with no complaint. "Thank you," I say and follow her when she sits down by the fire.

"You're welcome," she said when I sat across from her, the fire burning brightly between us, "It's not everyday I make a meal for someone else."

"You mentioned earlier that I was the second visitor," I begin as I recalled her words from before, "who was the first?" I prayed she would say Hiccup and when I heard her answer I nearly choked on the piece of fish I ate.

"A boy your age." Valka said.

"What?!" I exclaimed, eyes wide. "What did he look like? Did he have brown hair, green eyes, and freckles? Was he scrawny looking? Was he with a dragon companion? A Night Fury, to be specific. When was he here? Wh-" Valka's laughing cut me off.

"I must say, I wasn't expecting this reaction. You Hofferson women usually keep your cool."

"How did you even know my family anyway?" I asked as I ignored her comment and remembered her mentioning yesterday that she was an old family friend.

Valka's expression suddenly turns sad. "I...grew up with your mother. She was my best friend."

Everything seemed to stop. My heart, my breathing, the flowing of my blood in my veins...She knew my mom. My mother knew this woman. They were best friends.

"Then that means...you're from Berk." It came out as a statement and not a question because a question is where you look for an answer; I already had mine. It was the only logical explanation. Mom was born and raised in Berk, and if Valka grew up with her then that means she's from Berk too.

She nods, proving me right. "Yes, I was," and what she said next shocked me even more. "But we'll get to that later. As for the boy I mentioned, he does in fact match your description. He even has a Night Fury. Last I saw Hiccup," she clarified, "was four months ago."

My breath caught in my throat again and I wasn't sure if it was because she said his name or if it was because he was literally right here in this exact location just a mere four months ago. I don't know what got over me, but my eyes started to sting with unwanted, but happy, tears. "Oh my gods. So you really did meet him. He's alive. Thank Odin. I...I always knew he was alive, but now I have actual proof. Unless….unless he died sometime during these last four months."

"No, I refuse to believe it," Valka said, sharply, and I nodded.

"Yeah, so do I-" I start, but she went on.

"Him being dead is something that just cannot be," I took another bite out of my fish as she spoke. "My son is too smart and too young to join the fallen in Valhalla."

With another shocking surprise just thrown out like that, it was no surprise that I started to choke. "Oh my," I hear Valka say as my coughing fit went on, "Are you alright?"

"You're…" I breathed out, too impatient to catch my breath first, "you're Hiccup's mother?!"

Valka smiles, proudly. "I am indeed."

I can't believe it. Out of everything that has happened to me these last three years, this is what I can't believe the most. I can believe that Hiccup tamed a dragon, I can believe that I've been going behind my tribe's back to help the beasts, I can believe that my mother is dead, I can believe that Hiccup is alive and well, I can believe that my tribe sold me away, I can believe that Valka rescued me, but I cannot believe that she, the very real woman sitting in front of me, is his mother. "But…," I pause, thinking of what to say, unsure if there was even anything I could say that would help me process this better, "you...you're supposed to be-"

"Dead," Valka interrupts, sighing as she leans back against the cave wall. "Yes, I know. Everyone thought I was eaten by a dragon."

"If you don't mind me asking," I start, "what exactly happened that led you here?"

A small smile forms on her face, but her eyes were glazed over with sadness as the memory must have played in her head. Her expression told me it's a bittersweet tale. "It was just another raid," she started, "but I had no idea that it would turn out the way it did."


	7. Chapter 7

Valka was only 19 when she married Stoick and 20 when she had Hiccup, and just like her son she was different. She was clumsy, couldn't wield a weapon, was more on the artistic/creative side, and sympathized with the dragons. Valka never tried to kill them like Hiccup had done countless times, but once he captured Toothless he became the sympathizer his mother had always been. He was only six months old when Valka left, or should I say taken?

A dragon, her dragon now, Cloudjumper, had broken into her house that night, where Hiccup slept in his cradle, all alone. She rushed to protect him, but what she saw was proof of everything she believed. Cloudjumper meant no harm that night; he was just very curious and brought Hiccup great joy.

"Hiccup laughed," Valka had said as her eyes began to tear up, "Instead of crying like most babies would, he was giggling up a storm. He only started crying whenever Cloudjumper noticed me and accidentally scratched his chin, giving him a scar."

A scar I remember as clear as day. I always thought his clumsiness was the cause of it. Not a dragon.

Cloudjumper, according to Valka, wasn't a vicious beast at all, but was instead an intelligent, gentle creature whose soul reflected her own. She saw herself when she looked into his eyes. Stoick had then barged in, but as he had gone to rescue Hiccup first, Cloudjumper took the opportunity to quickly snatch Valka in his clutches and fly off with her. He brought her to the Sanctuary and it is here she stayed, learning everything there was to know.

"So," I begin when she finished, "you just...abandoned your family?" I said it in the nicest way possible, but I knew a hint of anger slipped through and was heard. I didn't want to start a fight, I didn't want to be rude, but I especially didn't want to just remain confused. I needed answers because I couldn't understand how a mother could just abandon her family. She had the opportunity to return for good but she never did. She only came for supplies. Inside, I was actually pissed. Hiccup needed her, Berk needed her, and where was she? Hiding away to play with dragons!

A pained look flashes across Valka's face, causing me to immediately fill with guilt. "I thought," she starts, her voice tight, and she pauses to clear her throat before continuing, "I thought if I stayed away...they'd be safe."

"Safe?" I repeat. "From what? The dragons?"

She shakes her head. "Me."

For some reason, that one word sent chills all across my body. "Why would you think that?"

She looks away from my probably intimidating gaze and stares deeply into the fire. "They nearly died that night because I couldn't kill a dragon. I didn't feel worthy enough...I didn't...I didn't feel as though I deserved to have wife and mother as my titles. I didn't feel as though I deserved to have them in my life." She tightly closes her eyes so she wouldn't cry.

"So you just…" I angrily shrugged and gestured to our surroundings, "Stayed here while your son grew up without you?"

"Astrid-"

"Oh wait, that's right," my blood was boiling now, "You did come back. For supplies! Whenever you would come during a raid, it was a good distraction for everyone, wasn't it? Stoick and Hiccup would be too busy to notice that their wife and mother who they thought to be dead was stealing right from under their noses. The raids might've helped you, but they never helped Berk and I. They were a pain in my ass. Saving the dragons became a pain too."

"Wait, it was you who has been saving the dragons on Berk?" Valka asked, surprised and completely dodging everything else I had said. "Every time I would go, I would always see a hooded figure saving a few. I never thought it was a Berkian. I assumed it was someone like me. A raider in need of supplies who would help the dragons."

So I was seen after all. I'm really not surprised. I'm just surprised that it was her.

"Yeah, I saved as many as I could." I snapped, standing up so I could angrily pace. "And no I don't hate them. Not anymore. You have your son to thank for that. But I guess you wouldn't have known that. Or did you, since you paid us visits when we were unaware?"

"Astrid-"

"You could have helped us. You could have stopped the war between vikings and dragons years ago. You could have raised your son. He needed you, Valka. Every child needs their mother." My heart ached when I thought of mine. "So...why didn't you?"

"I told you why-"

"No," I interrupted her once more, "I mean, why didn't you ever help us?"

Valka was silent for a moment, her eyes glazed over as though she was watching a memory, and before I could snap her out of it, she answers me in a calm voice.

"Before Cloudjumper brought me here, I tried many times to stop as many dragon killings as I could in Berk, but they all failed. No one would ever listen to me. What proof did I have that Berk could ever change? They never listened to me in the past, not even Stoick. I'm still surprised he even married me since he knew how adament I was about peace with the dragons. I knew that if I came back years later, they still wouldn't listen. They'd see me as a traitor, especially my husband and son."

"Hiccup wouldn't have." I say, strongly, so full of certainty. "He's takes after you. For Thor's sake, you could have taken him with you. You could have taken him away from his bullies. From all of his pain. He could have grown up happy. He could have grown up having a parent who wasn't ashamed to show that they loved him. Because trust me when I tell you this, Stoick wasn't the greatest father."

"He...he wasn't?" Valka asked, eyes full of confusion and disappointment. "Why-"

"Because it's as I said," I interrupt again. "Hiccup takes after you, and perhaps it brought him pain seeing you in him every day. Perhaps he was scared Hiccup would have the same fate as you. Although, when you think about it, he already is living the same fate as you. And I guess...so am I."

I sighed and sat back down, wanting so badly to just run or throw my axe or better yet destroy a bunch of shit. Staring at the fire that separated Valka and I, I wanted nothing more than to set a whole bunch of trees on fire so the world could know how excruciatingly pissed I am at everything. I'm pissed at Stoick, Hiccup, Valka, my mom, the dragons, the Saboteurs. Every single fucking thing.

"You know," Valka started, breaking the silence between us. "If I had taken him, you wouldn't have known him, and he wouldn't have known you."

"Why does that matter?" I asked, as I angrily picked at the furs I was sitting on to distract myself from everything I was feeling. "We weren't ever friends. I never bullied him, but I never stopped it either when it happened. I figured the fishbone had to learn how to fight his own battles, especially since our parents' war was about to become ours. The few times I did speak with him, I was kind of rude, only so I could knock some sense into him though. There was also the time where I sort of beat him up for lying. I wouldn't necessarily call it bullying, but I guess that's for him to decipher. So yeah...why does it matter?" I realized I was rambling and quickly cut myself off, and when I saw Valka's small smile, it threw me completely off, especially her words.

"Because he would never have experienced love if it wasn't for you."

"Love?!" I choked out, once again shocked. "What-"

Valka interrupts me this time, waving off and scoffing. "Oh shush, you can't honestly tell me you didn't know. When Hiccup spoke of you to me it was so completely obvious that he loves you, and the way you spoke of him," she chuckles, "I can say the same for you."

My face became hot, but I blamed the heat of the fire. "Being away from humans has driven you completely mad. I don't love him. I admit that I may have had a tiny crush on him when we were children, but it was nothing serious. It quickly went away when I hit my preteens and realized the reality of the war. I was too busy training to be a warrior to even think about love. Death and being the greatest dragon killer was the only thing on my mind. And sure he showed me the true beauty of dragons, a world in which he opened my eyes to see, a world I couldn't even imagine, which in doing so showed me his true self, and sure it gave me hope, but I never...stop looking at me like that."

She was originally smirking, but it turned into a huge ear to ear grin. It reminded me of Ruffnut and Tuffnut. I wonder what their votes were. Did they cast me out or did they want me to stay? I know Snotlout wanted me to stay. Was I really betrothed to him or did he lie thinking it would help me out? I guess I'll never know. I really hope it was a lie.

"You ramble just like your mother," Valka said, laughing lightly. "How is she by the way?"

"Dead," I say coldly. "And perhaps that's a good thing."

And with that, I stood up once more, and left the cave to wander off. Valka did not follow, but my angry tears did.


	8. Chapter 8

I didn't return for hours, the sun was setting by the time I made it back to the cave, and when I did Valka looked relieved. "I was afraid something bad had happened to you," she said once she saw me approach, "I was debating if I should go after you."

I'm glad she didn't though. I threw the biggest crying fit ever. It ended with me punching a tree, which resulted in a bloody and bruised hand that I tended to myself. It's a good thing I let Gothi take me as her apprentice for a short while. The Sanctuary is thriving with all kinds healing herbs and other properties. After that, I just watched the dragons. I've never seen them so at peace before. To be honest, I envied them.

"I can take care of myself," I say, softly since my voice still hurt from my previous sobs and angry screams to the Gods. "But thank you." I meant it too, because not only did I watch the dragons, but I also tried my best to see things through her point of view. "And I'm sorry."

Valka smiled, though it was small. "There was nothing to forgive. I appreciate true honesty, and I'm…" She releases a shuddery breath and that's when I realized she had been crying too. "I'm sorry for your loss."

And just like that, the water works started to fill again. " _Our_ loss. She was your loss too."

"Can you tell me about her?" Valka asked. "What was she like as a mother? I saw how she was with you when you were a newborn to when you were six months of age. How did she handle your teen years?"

I smiled a genuine smile at the memories. "I'll tell you my tales as long as you tell me yours."

Valka's new smile mirrored my own. "Very well."

And so, our bonding began.

.

.

.

The bond Valka and I had grew the instant we talked about my mother that one night a year ago, and throughout the year many more tales were told. She told me everything there was to know about my mom when she was a child, teenager, and adult. She talked about my father, her parents, Stoick's parents, my parents' parents. She talked about my grandparents. She talked about the embarrassing things that have happened to her. She talked about Stoick and Gobber. She talked about every family I could remember on Berk. She talked about her time at the Sanctuary and the adventures she had here.

She talked about the first time she saw Hiccup when she was in Berk and how it broke her. She talked about the first time they met face to face and how shocked she was when she found out he was a dragon rider like her. She talked about their time spent together and their first fight, which was about him leaving to save other dragons from around the world from not only the dragon Queen but also some dude named Drago, to which she replied with: "A chief protects his own." Which he in return had said: "And the Alpha protects them all."

I couldn't help but be proud, but at the same time, I hated that he's doing it alone.

Sure he has Toothless, but I personally think a human with a voice of reason such as myself should be with him. Hiccup may be smart, but he's equally reckless. There were days where I was tempted to just leave and go find him, but I couldn't. Why? Because 1) I had no idea where to start looking and I wasn't going to leave without knowing where I was going like Hiccup had done, 2) The fastest way to find him would be to fly a dragon but I wasn't skilled in that department yet, and 3) I didn't want to leave Valka here alone.

Could I have just convinced her to look for her son with me? Yeah, but what good would that have done? She didn't go with Hiccup when he left, which she should have done, which _I_ should have done, so why would me asking her make a difference?

She even refused my suggestion to go back to Berk when our supplies were low. I suggested it because I was homesick, but I quickly got over it. I can't miss a place that didn't want me. Instead, she and I raided different villages when we needed to. I truly felt bad, but you gotta do what you gotta do to survive, and to be honest...I actually quite like my new life. I've never felt so... _free._ Despite being hidden. Although really, the Sanctuary is an amazing place. The only stress/worry that I experienced came from the ignorance of Hiccup's whereabouts. All my other worries, my secrets being exposed and the death of my people, ceased to exist the moment I was taken.

I no longer needed to worry about my secrets because I had exposed myself, nor did I need to worry about my people dying because they're not my people anymore. At least the ones who voted me out aren't. The ones who didn't vote me out don't need my worry either though and it's simply because I know they can take care of themselves. Whatever happened after I left, I know they're okay. They have to be. Anybody who declares themselves as an ally of mine won't die so easily.

I sometimes think it was my mother and the Gods who made Valka and I come into each other's lives, and I couldn't be more grateful.

Another thing I'm grateful for are Valka's teachings. She talked about every dragon she has ever encountered and told me everything there was to know about them. She left out no detail when she spoke of every species and subspecies of dragons she knows, which includes Night Furies. Of course, they gained my interest the most.

"Their subspecies are called Light Furies," she had said, "They're white, have less nubs, less spikes, smoother skin that beautifully sparkles, and have the ability to turn invisible. They absorb light or heat into their scales, which, whenever they fly though their own fire blasts, gives the interpretation that they teleported, when really they didn't."

"Fascinating," I had said, in complete awe. "I hope I get to see one some day."

She even told me of a thing called Soul Bonded. "I made it up completely, but it makes sense. I wouldn't be surprised if such a thing actually existed."

To put it shortly, Soul Bonded is when a human and dragon lock eyes and see themselves in the other. It's what she said had happened between her and Cloudjumper, how his soul reflected her own, and it's what she said happened to Hiccup.

"He told me that he couldn't kill Toothless because when he looked at him he saw himself," Valka had said, "It was then that I knew that it has to be a real thing."

"Do you think every human has a dragon and vice versa?" I had asked.

"I'm not really sure. I like to believe that it's rare, but it's possible that everyone has their soul linked to a dragon and vice versa. It'd be a shame if someone had killed the dragon they were linked to."

I had merely nodded in agreement.

There came a time some point during the year when she felt that I was ready to fly, and as much as I wanted to see the world from a dragon's point of view again like I had done with Hiccup and Toothless years ago, as much as I wanted to fly away to find them, I didn't feel that I was ready yet, especially since I hadn't found my soul dragon.

"I want to wait until I find my soul dragon," I had declared.

"You can fly a dragon that's not your Soul Bonded, you know," Valka had said.

"I know," I told her, "but it'd be way more special for my first solo flight to be with a dragon whose soul reflects my own." Also, I admit, I was a bit nervous to fly solo.

And yes, I did bond with many dragons, each one in the Sanctuary owns a piece of my heart, but none of them ever connected with my soul. I had once asked Valka how I would know that I connected with my soul dragon, if I had one, and her answer didn't help at all.

"It's an indescribable feeling that you'll feel deep within yourself in your very core." She had answered. "There isn't really much more to say than that. When it happens, you'll know."

And now here I am, a year later, with no soul dragon, but with a ton of dragon information drilled into my brain. I've learned more from Valka in one year than I ever have from Gobber in my three years of dragon training with him.

I miss him though. I miss my sort of friends too, specially Ruffnut, even though she and her brother annoyed me to no end. I miss Gothi and food that isn't fish, and to be honest, despite what he had done, I miss Stoick too. Not as much as the others, but I still do a little bit. How could I not? He was one of my father figures. I looked up to him. I wanted to be him, but when he allowed for me to be taken...that changed. I don't want to be someone who just sacrifices someone else for the sake of saving others. I want to be someone who saves _all._ Everyone.

Most of all though I miss my mom and Hiccup, and the greatest thing about Valka is that she reminds me of them both.

"Why don't we go on vacation?" I hear her suddenly say, snapping me out of my thoughts as I tended to the fish that I was putting in multiple baskets.

"Vacation?" I repeat, confused as I turn to look at her. "To where? And why?"

She shrugs in response. "It's your one year anniversary with me and I feel we should do something special. I've always wanted a daughter and you're the closest thing I have to one. I have the perfect place too."

That perfect place ended up being a volcanic island not too far beyond the archipelago with no human life at all. That's the part that made it the best.

I quickly jumped off of Cloudjumper when he landed on the beach of the island and marveled at the new sight. "This place is gorgeous!"

I hear Valka laugh from above me, still on her dragon. "You've only been here for not even a minute and haven't ventured inside the jungle. You call this gorgeous?"

"I suppose I should wait until I see the rest, correct?" I question as I start taking our supplies off of Cloudjumper.

"Correct," she says as she gracefully uses her long staff to help her off her dragon. "And don't worry about the supplies. I'll take care of them while you explore the island."

"Are you sure?" I asked, definitely wanting to take her up on her offer, but not wanting to just leave her alone to tend to our belongings.

Hiccup's mother nods and waves me off. "Of course I'm sure. Now go before I change my mind."

I left without a second thought, a smile on my face.

The scenery was just like the one back at the Sanctuary, only there were no dragons, which surprised me. How could there not be any dragons in sight? Unless they're all hiding. Perhaps there's certain spots they go to or perhaps the dragons on this island are nocturnal. Whatever the case, there's got to be some, and I'm stupidly going to find them. You're not a viking if you don't welcome danger.

However, I saw none for hours, and didn't return back to the beach until the sunset had past, waking up the moon and stars. When I returned, Valka and I talked as we ate our dinner, then went straight to sleep. Sleep found me easily, but it was also easily taken from me hours later when I felt warm breath hit my face.

I opened my eyes, expecting to see Cloudjumper up in my face for some reason, but instead I saw a dragon that took my breath away and made my eyes pop out of their sockets. Curious blue eyes stared into shocked blue eyes for what seemed like forever, only a mere inch or two apart, and something inside of me stirred deep within my core when I saw my reflection in her eyes. It was a feeling I've never felt before. It gave me chills and it made my heart race. It's indescribable, just as Valka said it would be.

I, Astrid Hofferson, finally soul bonded with a dragon.

 _A Light Fury._


	9. Chapter 9

"V-Valka," I whispered, stammering not because I was scared but because I'm shocked and couldn't believe what it was that I was staring at. A Light Fury. An actual Light Fury. Right in front of my very eyes! And what a beauty she is. There are definitely similarities between her and Toothless, but being a subspecies there are also differences, starting with the color.

She's whiter than snow and sparkles just like it too when hit with that perfect angle of light. She hardly has any nubs and her skin looks so smooth, probably due to the lack of spikes. I wonder if they're retractable like their teeth?

"Valka," I try again, my eyes not leaving the dragon's, who seemed just as fascinated with me as I was with it. No, her. It's got to be a her. She looks very female. I boldly look over to my side to face her, breaking the eye contact between the dragon and I, but she wasn't there. Neither was Cloudjumper.

For a moment I thought that she abandoned me, but I noticed her furs and our other supplies still on the ground. She's still here. She didn't leave. So where the Hel is she? It's the middle of the night. Did she go to the bathroom somewhere?

The Light Fury looks to where I'm looking and finally moves away from me to sniff the furs that Valka was previously laying on. Her ears perk up and next thing I know her wings are open and she takes off into the sky.

"Hey!" I call out to her, quickly stumbling to my feet. "Wait, come back!" And of course...I followed her, running at full speed into the jungle as I watched her from the sky. Eventually, she flew through her own firing blast and turned invisible, disappearing from my sight. I knew I was going to lose her eventually, and when I did, I had no clue where I was at, and was pissed.

"Gods damn it!" I exclaimed. I just found my soul dragon after desperately wanting to find her for a whole year, and when I do find her, or rather when she found me, I end up losing her.

Although I really shouldn't be surprised. She's wild. It's not going to be easy to gain her trust. But...she didn't seem afraid of me. She only left after smelling Valka's furs. Perhaps she's trying to find her for me? I hope so. Wherever Valka is, she's definitely not using the bathroom. I would have passed her if she was, and there's no way she'd venture so deep within the jungle to do so.

Minutes go by as I continued to search for both the dragon and the woman who I consider to be my adopted mother with only the moon as my source of light. Thank Thor she's a full one tonight. A few more minutes pass before I finally hear a voice.

The only problem was that it wasn't Valka's voice.

It was a male.

"Hey, it's okay. Calm down, girl. I'm not going to hurt you." A growl was then heard and my legs took off running in a panic before I was even aware of it.

That was my dragon. Whoever that man is, he's with my dragon. Even if she wasn't my soul bonded, I still need to save her. Valka said that no one knows of this place besides herself. So who the Hel is this?

My feet come to a halt when I came across an open meadow. Standing in the very center of the meadow was a black figure. When my eyes fully adjusted, I noticed that the black figure was a human man wearing black armor that covered him all over from head to toe. Armor that looked liked…

My face paled and my stomach churned in disgust.

His armor is made of dragon scales and the only dragons that I can think of that are black are Night Furies. Oh my god, did he...did he kill Toothless? What about Hiccup? Did he come across them and kill them? How long ago was this? How long have they been dead? Or do the scales he wears come from a different Night Fury? A different dragon species perhaps? Either way, I'm sick to my stomach, but I can't help but pray that the scales are from a dragon that's not Toothless.

I became even sicker when I saw the large white creature in front of him, tangled in a net. Her blue eyes were dilated and her teeth were bared as she hissed and growl. The man had a hand stretched out, which was holding onto a dagger, and as he started to lean down towards her I started to frantically look around for something to throw at him. I was in the mercy of the Gods when I noticed a bunch of rocks resting at my feet.

I grabbed the biggest rock I could find and shouted, "Hey, asshole! Think fast!"

The man's attention turns towards me, but I threw the rock as hard as I could at him before he could see me. I didn't need to worry about aiming; I have perfect aim all the time. I still praised myself though when it hit the man right on the forehead. He stumbles back in surprise.

"Ow! What the-"

I ducked behind a nearby tree and watched as the man looked around. "Um...hello? Is someone there? Who threw that?"

I couldn't help but smirk at his stupidity. Of course someone is here. You were just called an asshole and got hit with a rock. Plus, an attacker wouldn't expose themself. Is this guy an idiot? Sounds like it. Hiccup better not have gotten murdered by an idiot. I'll kill him in Valhalla if he really did.

The Light Fury took the man's distraction as her opportunity to escape. She burns the net with one fire blast, which makes the man jump out of the way when it almost hit him, and flies off into the night. The man merely stood and watched as I was doing. He didn't curse in anger or try to go after it. Instead he sighs and says to himself, "I guess she didn't need my help after all."

Help? He was going to help her? Who is this guy?

I wasn't going to stay and ask. I was, however, going to spy.


	10. Chapter 10

I knew I looked ridiculous with my mud covered face, but I figured since the man's face was covered with a mask, mine should be covered too. In case I somehow got caught, it's only fair that he doesn't know what I look like, like how I don't know what he looks likes. I followed him with ease, making sure to keep enough distance between us, and the more I followed the more I noticed.

On his shoulder is a red Night Fury silhouette, which made my stomach twist and nearly got me caught when I stumbled and accidentally snapped a twig at the sight of it. His left foot is missing, replaced with a metal prosthetic. He's left handed, which I only know because as he walked he wrote things down in his journal at the same time. Even through his armor, I could tell that he's not very muscular, but he's not exactly a twig either. He's perfectly in the middle. I can totally beat him in a fight, which I hope it doesn't come to, but if it does I won't complain.

I also noticed that we were walking closer and closer to the volcano.

And sure enough, the volcano is where he took us. We stood on a hill, and what I was not expecting to see at the bottom of it, near the beginning of the volcano, was Cloudjumper and Valka. What are they doing here? At least I found them or rather...the man found them. The man stops when he sees them and I visibly see his body freeze. I quickly hide behind a tree as he does this, and watched as he stared down at my motherly figure. Valka was talking to Cloudjumper a long distance away, both hers and her dragon's back turned, facing the volcano, not aware of the man behind her that suddenly started to move. He took off in a run and so did I.

It all happened so fast that it's a blur. My feet moved on their own accord and before I could even register what it was that I was exactly doing, I'm tackling the man. As I ran after him down the hill, I had reached out and practically jumped on him like a Deadly Nadder would with her prey. I wrapped my arms around his neck like a Nadder would sink her talons into her prey, and the two of us go rolling. The man made a sound of surprise, followed by pained grunts as we rolled. I remained silent as we tumbled, ignoring the pain of his body repeatedly rolling on mine. He wouldn't have had to roll on me if I had simply let go and let us tumble individually, but I wasn't going to let him go. What hunter would ever release her prey? So roll as one we did.

When our rolling finally came to an end, we landed at the bottom of the hill with him face down on the ground and me on top of his back. I ignored the dizziness in my head and moved quickly, twisting his left arm behind him with my own left arm, which causes him to cry out in pain, and as he grunts and struggles against me, I reached for the dagger I noticed earlier on his belt. I reached for it with my right hand and pressed the tip of it against the side of his armored neck. This causes him to instantly stop moving, but it also makes him finally speak. "W-Who are you? What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" I snapped as I pressed the tip of his dagger further into him. If it was against his skin he'd already be bleeding. "I'm going to hurt you before you hurt my friend."

"Your friend?" The man questioned, surprised. He goes to say more, but I cut him off.

"Yes, my friend," I clarify, and look up just in time to see Valka running towards us. Even through the long distance, I could see the worry on her face. I turned my gaze back down at the man. "I saw you running after her and I'll not have another person I care about be taken from me. Now I'm going to ask you what you asked me: Who are you? What dragon did you make your suit out of? A Night Fury? Were you planning on doing the same with the Light Fury? How do you know of this place? Are there others with you-"

"I only asked you the first question," the man interrupts. "And if you let me go I promise I'll answer every question you have, along with causing you no harm."

I couldn't help but smirk. "You? Causing harm to me? Are you even aware of the knife that _I_ have pressed against _your_ neck? And believe me when I tell you this," I brought my lips lower to his ears, which were hidden behind his mask. "I don't believe in the promises of strangers."

Valka suddenly appears then, on Cloudjumper's back, meaning that she flew the rest of the distance, and for the first time since I've met her I see her jump off from Cloudjumper's back rather than him helping her down or her using her staff. "Let him go, Astrid!" She demanded, surprising me.

"What?!" I say, but my voice had an echo. That was when I realized that the man said the same thing I did at the same time. I'd be shocked too to be honest.

"Let him go? He tried to attack you!" I continued, but the man did too.

"No I didn't, but that doesn't matter. Mom, did you seriously just say 'Astrid'?" He asked, breathlessly as he moved his head to the side, which I let him. "As in...my Astrid?!"

That's when I became breathless, but not because he declared me his. It was because of the three letter word he said before. My body stiffens and my eyes widen in shock. "Did you just say 'mom'?!" I snapped my gaze over to Valka. "Did he just call you his mother?!"

Valka sighs as she shakes her head. "This was not at all how I thought you two would meet again."

"Valka," I urged, feeling my hands start to shake and my heart beat rapidly. I readjusted the dagger in my hand even though it was unnecessary. "Is this…is he…" But I couldn't find the strength to finish my sentence, afraid that if I did I would wake up. That it was a dream.

Valka smiles as she nods. "Why don't you help the poor lad up and ask him yourself? You two have a lot of catching up to do."

The man, who's name I already know, though I'm afraid to admit it yet just in case this is still a dream, says nothing as I hesitantly removed myself from him. I still held on to his dagger, nervously gripping it tightly that it hurt, and watched as he got to his feet, groaning a bit due to the pain that I had caused him. He's about to feel even more pain once I punch the hell out of him. Because if he does end up being who I think he is, or rather know he is, and if this is all really real, then a beat down for all the Hel he has caused me is definitely long overdue.

Every movement he made, every second that ticked, until he removed his helmet caused my heart to beat faster and faster. I didn't realize I was holding my breath until I finally saw his face and sucked in a deep intake of air...which then caused my breathing to stop again.

How is it possible for someone to look exactly as they were years before but to also look entirely different? He's changed, he grew up, he matured into the manly body that puberty and the gods have blessed him with. His face is sharper, more angular, removed of teen baby fat, his eyes appear to be a deeper green, he has more freckles kissed across his face, and his hair is thicker and untamed. He looked...wild. And this is me seeing him in the dark with only the moon's light. He must look even better in the sun's light. In all honesty, I was not expecting him to look like this. And I don't mean handsome. I mean healthy. He looks more healthy than when I last saw him, even if he is still a bit under muscled. I wonder if he would have looked like this if he had stayed in Berk or if he would have been a victim to the sickness.

"It's…" I start, pausing to study him for a brief second more. "It's really you." My eyes pathetically teared up and my lips curled into a smile. "Oh my gods, Hiccup! You're alive!" And once more, my feet are moving with a mind of their own and I'm pouncing on the poor guy again.

This time however, when my arms wrap around his neck, it isn't so I can strangle him to death. It's so I can give him a long awaited hug that is long overdue. I held back a sob, but let my tears silently fall as I buried my face into the crook of his neck.

Hiccup was obviously taken aback, but he was quick to compose himself and return my hug, hugging me tighter. "Hey, Astrid," he says, shyly. "Hi. Hello...um...long time no see."

I scoffed at his reaction, but expected it. This is him after all. "Really?" I asked, incredulously, but not angrily. "Out of everything you could have thought of to say to me it's that?"

He chuckles nervously, which makes me smile. I thought I'd never hear that chuckle again. Or see his face. "I'm sorry. I was not at all prepared to see my mother and especially you. I keep thinking this is a dream. After all, only the Astrids in my dreams would do something weird, such as cover their faces with mud."

Oh my gods, I had completely forgotten. I felt my face heat up in embarrassment and was grateful for the dark night and the mud for hiding my blush. I shrugged it off like it was nothing and said, "You were wearing a mask, so I had to improvise. I couldn't let my face be exposed for you to see."

He and Valka laugh and that's when I remembered that she was still there. How could I have so easily forgotten her? Also how are Hiccup and I still hugging? This is the longest hug I've ever given anyone. I pull away from Hiccup, but to my surprise he held onto my elbows to keep me close. The action made me blush some more, along with Valka's smug look and the mud I saw I had left on Hiccup's neck. Hiccup spoke before I could mention it to him though. "Fair enough, but seriously," he chuckles once more, "next time you want to get a guy's attention, don't throw a rock at him."

"I wasn't trying to get your attention," I explained, grinning. "I was trying to distract you and it worked. The Light Fury got away." That's when I remembered why I was even up to begin with. "Oh my gods, the Light Fury! Valka I Soul Bonded with a Light Fury!"

"What?!" She and Hiccup exclaimed together.

"There's a Light Fury here?" Valka asked.

"You mean the Light Fury I was trying to rescue back in the meadow is your Soul Dragon?" Hiccup asked then laughed. "Oh my gods. This is perfect! You can help us then."

"Us?" I repeat. "And what do you mean by help?"

"By us," Hiccup answers, "I mean Toothless and I, and by help...well…" he rubs his neck nervously. "Toothless and I came across her a while ago. He's smitten with her and we've been tracking her down for months. Now that you've bonded with her you can help her grow comfortable with him to where they'll...uh...become mates."

"Wait what?" I stepped away from his hold, my elbows suddenly feeling very cold without his touch. "I literally just found her; my soul dragon. I haven't gotten to spend any time with her and you definitely scared her off earlier with your scary as Hel rescue attempt. You pulled a knife out on her for the Gods sake. Who knows where she could be now. And here you are asking me to help get your dragon laid? Are you serious?"

It hasn't even been five minutes and already our reunion has turned sour.

"But Toothless-" He starts, but that was all I heard from him before something suddenly tackles me to the ground, knocking the air right out of me. Before I could even catch my breath, I'm being tickled by a large tongue licking me all over, causing me to hysterically laugh.

"Oh my gods!" I said through my laughter. "Stop!" My eyes managed to catch a glimpse if my attacker before they shut again. "Toothless stop!" But my laughter only encouraged him. "I...hahaha...I can't...hahaha...breathe!"

"Toothless," I hear Hiccup scold. "Get off of her bud. You're gonna suffocate her."

Toothless does as his rider says but before doing so he grins down at me, showing me nothing but gums. His name sake...until he retracts his teeth out. When he got off of me, I propped myself up on my elbows and panted. "If you don't put a bell on him," I tell Hiccup, jokingly. "I will."

Toothless, who was still by my side, makes a gurgling noise that I interpreted as a laugh. I couldn't help but giggle at his cuteness and reached forward to scratch under his chin. He closes his eyes and purrs as I do so. "It's good to see you too, you useless reptile." I then realized that the dried mud no longer coated my face. "And thanks for getting the mud off my face. Perhaps you're not useless after all."

I deliberately said those three words, which originally came from Hiccup long ago, to see if he remembered the night that changed my life. Sure enough, when I snuck a glance at him, he was fondly smiling, at had a glazed look in his eyes as though he was watching the memory play out in his mind. I didn't need his words to prove that he remembered that night as clearly as I did. His face said enough. That night changed everything for him too.

"I can say the same as well," Valka speaks up, gaining my attention. Her attention was on her son, however. Her younger genderbent. No test would ever need to be needed to prove that they're mother and son. "What are you doing here, son? How long have you been here?"

"Wait," I interrupt, still on my butt on the ground, "What about you?" I asked as I looked up at her. "What are you doing here near the volcano? Back at our campsite, the Light Fury woke me up and you were nowhere to be found. She smelled your furs and took off after that. I think she tried, or is still trying, to find you."

I start to get to my feet, but Hiccup stops me. "Here," he said as he extends his hand out and leans downward a little, "let me help you."

My mind took me back to when he had tried to help me onto Toothless's back when they had held me captive in a tree nearly five years ago. I had smacked his hand away in anger and annoyance, not needing nor wanting his help, and while I still don't need his help...I want it. Plus, I'm not angry with him. Although, I am a bit annoyed that one of few things he says to me after not seeing me for years is that he wants his dragon to become mates with mine. I need to spend time with her first before any mating happens. Is she even old enough?

"Thanks," I say, softly, almost shyly as I reach up and grasp his hand. My skin touched his suit fabric covered hand and I was taken aback at how much it felt like real dragon skin. I always knew that Hiccup was an intelligent inventor, but he really outdid himself with this suit, which I now know isn't made of a dead dragon. Hiccup wouldn't dare.

He easily pulls me up, and when I was finally on my feet, I had expected an immediate release of our hands, but instead he kept holding them together and stared down at me with a smile. Good Odin when did he get so tall? And...holy shit we're really close. Why are we so close? "You're welcome," he says before finally letting go.

I immediately step back, cleared my throat, ignored the racing of my heart, and turned my attention back to Valka. "Anyway…" I said nothing more and waited for her answers.

She was smirking when she replied. "I left to check on the volcanic activity," she said as she glanced between her son and I. "I always check it late at night whenever I visit because that's when it's usually the most active. Toothless then found me by himself, which is when I told him to find Hiccup and bring him to me. I was not at all expecting to see him rolling down the hill with you glued to his back. And now here we are." She then walks over to Hiccup and pulls him into a tight hug. "And I'm so very glad! I thought I wouldn't see you for years."

Hiccup hugs her back just as tightly as he held me, which made me smile, but it also caused my heart to ache. I wish I could hug my mom one more time.

"I would never have waited that long," he says to his mother, "I had planned to come home sooner, but after encountering the Light Fury the plan change. The new plan was to tame the Light Fury and then bring her back to the Sanctuary. Which can still happen, especially now that she'll have a reason to come."

Toothless made a gurgling noise beside Hiccup, gaining our attention. It made me think that he thought the reason would be him. Hiccup thought the same and when he and his mother pull apart from their hug he scratches the top of Toothless's head and says, "No, not you bud." He then looks over to me. "Her."

Toothless made a noise of disapproval, but I paid him no attention. My focus was on Hiccup and him alone. His nervous smile hasn't changed at all. What else has changed or stayed the same? What has he been up to these last four years? What places has he visited? Did he ever figure out a way to bring peace? I guess I'll have to find out later, which I'm okay with, because I know I'll get my answers.

Because now that we're reunited...I'm not letting him go again.


	11. Chapter 11

I fought my hardest not to ask Hiccup all my questions during the walk back to the beach. I also fought my hardest not to worry about the Light Fury, my Soul Bonded dragon. Gods, it's so weird saying that. I honestly thought I didn't have one, and I certainly didn't think it would be a Light Fury. To be honest, I thought it would be a Nadder. That doesn't matter though. All that matters is that I finally found her. Well...sort of. She's lost again. Although, really she isn't lost at all. The whole wilderness is her home.

It makes me wonder if my determination to tame her is even such a good idea. Despite the situation I was in...despite Valka rescuing me from being sacrificed...I was still taken from my home too. Even if she hadn't have showed up, I was still going to be taken anyway. By Sylvester. I don't want the same for my dragon, especially since I'm sure her family isn't going to sacrifice her, if she has one that is. They'd fight for her. I still want to bond with her though. I want to have a relationship with her like the one Hiccup has with Toothless.

I have to find her again, and now that the bond as been made it shouldn't be too hard. We'll be pulled to each other. I'll also have Hiccup and Toothless's help, who I also can't believe I've found. Two surprises in one night. What else is do the Gods have planned in the next set of hours?

But because I had decided to wait until we got to the beach to ask him my questions, the walk back was a bit...awkward. Neither of us said anything to each other. It was mainly him and his mother who did the talking while I listened and petted Toothless, who was practically glued to my hip. I didn't say anything to Hiccup because everything I had to say was a question that I was saving until we were all settled, and he didn't say anything because he's Hiccup the Awkward. He's always been awkward around me, and while it is a bit annoying, I'm kind of glad that that trait hasn't changed like the rest of him. Because the rest of him is...definitely different. Gods is he even aware of how much his appearance has changed? Because I'm certainly aware, and I know Ruffnut would be too. She would flood the entire island with her drool.

When we finally make it back to the beach, Valka ordered Cloudjumper to make another fire, and once he does, the three of us (five actually if you count the dragons), settled around it. A pang of jealousy and sadness consumes me when Toothless and Cloudjumper curl themselves around their riders. Oh how I wish that were me. I've never felt so left out before. It'll happen though. When the time is right. For now, I should just be grateful that I found her.

"So," Hiccup says from across the fire, resting against Toothless. "I assume you have questions?"

"Of course I do," I reply, scooting closer. It looked as though I was scooting closer to the fire, but really my intention was to scoot closer to him. I want to be able to hear every word that comes out of his mouth. "It took everything in me not to ask you my questions on the way here."

Hiccup smiles and I swear I saw an actual spark that wasn't from the fire ignite in his eyes. "Did the Fearsome Astrid Hofferson really restrain herself from speaking her mind?"

Well, I'll be damned. The fishbone is actually teasing me. I return his smile and say, "I was being considerate actually. I have multiple questions to ask and wanted you to get comfortable first. Soooo…you're welcome."

Hiccup chuckles. "Well, then I thank you m'lady. Ask away."

M'lady? Ugh never mind that. "First things first," I start, preparing myself. "What happened to you the night you left Berk?"

And so...the answers began. He told me everything, or what I had assumed felt like everything. He left out no detail, nor did he ever break eye contact with me. It was as if he had completely forgotten his mother was there. But then again, she already knew most of the stories, and I won't lie...I'm a little envious of that. The only things she didn't know that I didn't either were his adventures after he left her.

Hiccup told me of the hardships he had to face being alone with Toothless in the wilderness, of the dragons he discovered, the villages and people he's met, which includes enemies, such as Drago's men but not Drago himself. He told me how he would help some of the people he would meet with their dragon issues, how some of them still refused to give dragons a chance because of how risky it is, and how others were a success, though there were few.

He told me of his battles and how one of them resulted in the loss of his left foot. Apparently, he lost it by helping one village get rid of their Queen dragon. He told me about a girl named Heather who had helped him after he lost his foot, not once leaving his side (which for some reason bothered me) and he told me about her deranged brother Dagur who had no concept of personal space. He told me about meeting his mom and his most favorite adventures he had with her. He told me of the fight he had with his mother and how, unlike with Stoick, he wasn't afraid to tell her he was leaving.

He told me about some of his inventions, which include a tail fin for Toothless to use to fly on his own and the suit he's currently wearing now. He told me about meeting the Light Fury for the first time and how Toothless immediately fell in love with her. He told me of their failed attempts at trying to confront her all the way up to this very day.

"And now here we are," He finishes with a smile as he gestures to me. "Now it's your turn. How in the name of Odin did my two favorite people meet?"

Favorite? He considers me a favorite person of his? Why? I guess it doesn't matter. He always was an odd one. But why is my face extra hot? Am I sitting too close to the fire?

"Should I tell things from my point of view first or you?" Valka says to me, a knowing gleam in her eyes. She knows I don't want to talk about what happened to me just yet. It's why I insisted Hiccup tell me everything. Not only so I know what he's been up to, but also so I could muster up the courage to tell him of my past; a past I hate thinking about.

"You first."

And so, she did. Unfortunately, it wasn't long enough. I knew that telling him of my past would be inevitable, but I couldn't help but drown in the temptation of simply...lying.

"That's when I decided to go to Berk no matter how risky it was," Valka explained. "I desperately needed the supplies and couldn't wait until nightfall. That's when I met your friend here."

She deliberately didn't mention the Saboteurs because by mentioning them she would have had to explain why they were there in the first place, which I know she feels is something I have to do on my own. She knows I still have an issue with the betrayal. She knows of the nightmares I still have from time to time. She knows that this is going to be hard for me to explain to her son because it was hard for me to explain to her. If anyone was in my shoes, it would be hard for them to talk about something like this. But with Hiccup...it'll be different. It'll be harder. And perhaps the reason for that is because I care more about his feelings.

"But how?" Hiccup inquired before he flashed us a grin. "Did she tackle you too, mom?"

I managed to chuckle with Valka. "In a way, it's more like the other way around." I say as I look over at the older woman, who looked back at me, and I knew in that moment that she was sharing the same memory as me.

"Oh gods," Hiccup said, laughing as he leaned forward. "Now this is a story I need to hear."

I didn't bother to stop my frown from forming. "I'm not so sure about that."

Hiccup frowns too, unsettled by my mood change. "What do you mean?"

I look away from him, landing my eyes on the fire, and release a tired sigh, "Your mother and I didn't just meet. We didn't just run into each other. She _rescued_ me, Hiccup. From…from an enemy Chief and...and…" I stop, knowing that if I mention his father it would destroy any last bit of love he has for him. But does Stoick even deserve Hiccup's love? He nearly sent me away to be a sex slave when he had the power and strength to stop it, and from the anger that burned in his eyes at the knowledge that it was I who had been saving the dragons, he looked ready to banish me without remorse. So how am I supposed to know that he wouldn't have done the same to Hiccup, or have him killed, if his son hadn't have left and if his secret was revealed?

"And?" Hiccup urged, slowly.

I look over at Valka, knowing that I didn't need her permission, but still wanting it. After all, this is her husband too that I'll be talking about. It's going to hurt her just as much. It'll hurt Hiccup too. It'll hurt us all. My throat felt tight and dry and it was hard to swallow. Why is this so hard? I've been through so much worse. I know Hiccup's feelings are on the line, but I wasn't expecting it to be this hard. Perhaps it's because this will be my first time talking about it out loud. I never had to fully talk about it with Valka because she was there to witness it. Plus, everything still feels like a dream. If I speak it out loud...it's only going to prove to me that what happened back on Berk really happened. Which is something I haven't fully accepted yet despite it already being a year.

"And your father." I finally say as I looked at him with anxious eyes.

Hiccup's eyes widen as he jerked up, away from Toothless who he was leaning against, and I think I heard him sharply inhale. Or perhaps that was me. " _What_? What do you-what did he- _WHAT?!"_

"Hiccup-" I start, trying to calm him down but he cut me off.

"Astrid, did my father _hurt_ you?" He was in complete disbelief, shock and anger and confusion all clouding over his face.

"No," I answered, feeling my chest grow tighter and my throat grow dryer, "Not in the way you're thinking. He didn't hurt me physically, but emotionally he did. The majority of the tribe did."

"The tribe?!" Hiccup exclaimed, incredulously. "Astrid what did you do-

"Wait what do you mean what did _I_ do?!" I cut him off, shocked at his accusation, and scoff. "You think I did something to deserve to be sacrificed to an enemy Chief as his sex slave?"

"S-Sex slave?" Hiccup repeats, looking disgusted. "My father-"

"The only thing your father did," I interrupt, impatiently wanting to be done with this conversation, "was not help me when I needed him most. He didn't fight back. He just...gave me up."

No one spoke for a moment. All there was to be heard was the fire's crackle as it burned between the three of us. Its orange and yellow flames was all I forced myself to see because I knew that if I looked up, I'd look directly into Hiccup's green eyes that I knew were already on me. I _felt_ his gaze. I felt the pity and I fucking hated it. And if I looked at him...well I don't know how I'd react.

"Astrid," I hear him say, his voice sounding guilty, "I am so sorry. I...I can't believe that-"

"I can't believe it either," I interrupt again, not wanting him to repeat what I already know. "And I don't want your pity." I look up at him then and held his gaze. He looked so...broken. So sad. I hate it. I hate it so much.

"I'm not sorry it happen." I continue, softly but also sternly. "I'm glad it did. I wouldn't be where I am now had it not happened. I wouldn't trade my life now for anything. I love it. I just...wish I wasn't betrayed by those I was willing to risk my life for." I pause for a moment to compose myself and quickly went back to talking when I noticed Hiccup open his mouth. "And don't be sorry. You're not responsible for your father's and the tribe's actions."

"I still could have done something!" He declared as soon as I was done speaking. He didn't skip a beat at all, and to be honest, his sudden outburst took me off guard. "I could have came back or-"

"I'm going to stop you right there," I interrupt for the hundredth time, "You had no idea on what was happening on Berk-"

"I would if I had just came back-"

"Hiccup, stop being ridiculous. You were on a mission, okay? So can you just stop all of," I gestured to all of him deliberately after remembering a conversation between him and Gobber, " _this_?"

And just as I had expected, Hiccup says: "You just gestured to all of me." He's smiling though, and it makes me happy not seeing the frown on his face. The look of guilt, however, still clouded his eyes. "So," he continues, uncomfortably, "You don't have to answer, but...who was the enemy Chief? What exactly happened?"

And so I told him, detail after detail. It was easier than I thought it would be, probably since I had already told him about Stoick and the tribe's betrayal, but it still hurt. I didn't let it show though. Instead, I showed my pride at how I handled Sylvester. I was the most badass I have ever been. Even Hiccup looked surprised. I had to suppress a smirk at his reaction.

After telling him of what had happened, I went on to tell him about what happened afterwards with his mother. I thought it was only fair to tell him of my favorite adventures with her like he had done with me. I told him of my most favorite dragons, my least favorite experiences, etc etc. Everything. There wasn't much to say anyway. After all, I'm not surrounded by people anymore who have a shit ton of drama and gossip to spread.

"That's disgusting," Hiccup said after he got done laughing. I had just told him about the time a dragon sneezed on me, getting its nasty snot all over me, and how I had thrown up a second later. "I hope you took a bath afterwards."

"Of course I did," I chuckle, "I stayed in that hot spring for hours. You can ask Valka." I look over at her, but to my surprise Hiccup's mother was fast asleep. She was still leaning against Cloudjumper, but her head was turned to the left, resting against Cloudjumper's leg, and her eyes were corner of her mouth was curled upward ever so slightly and she looked so at peace. I couldn't help but smile fondly at her.

"Well it's no wonder she hasn't said anything," I say, softly so she wouldn't wake. "I thought she was giving us time to catch up. I didn't know she fell asleep. How long do you think she's been out for?"

"I saw her doze off about an hour ago I think," Hiccup replies while he picks at the fire with his fake foot that he had taken off a while ago.

"Why didn't you say anything?" I asked as I get to my feet. I stretched and moaned a little at how good it felt. That tumbling I did when I tackled Hiccup earlier really got me good. I'm already really sore. I wonder if my bruises have formed yet. Hiccup's most likely going to be unscathed. He was wearing armor after all.

After my brief stretch, I walked towards his mother, but stop to look back at him when I approached her sleeping form. He was watching me the entire time, I knew this because I felt his eyes on me, but he didn't answer me. "Hello? Did you hear me?"

Hiccup jerked out of his dazed trance and said, "Huh? What?"

I smiled as I rolled my eyes. "Looks like someone else is tired too," I say as I bend down to grab Valka's blanket of furs that were bundled up next to her dragon. I carefully draped them over her and went back to my spot.

"I said," I start again, as I laid down on my stomach to relax my back, "why didn't you mention that she fell asleep?" I propped my head up with my hand, causing my elbow to slide into the cold sand, which sent shivers down my body.

"Because," Hiccup starts, pausing to copy my position. "I didn't want you to stop talking."

I laugh and imagine myself punching his arm. "Never thought I'd ever hear a man say that to a woman. Don't you guys hate it when a woman talks her head off?"

Hiccup grins. "I don't speak for the majority. Plus, I'm not like every other man, and you...well you're certainly not like every other woman. There's only one Astrid."

I knew what he meant, but I really wanted to be a smartass and tell him that there are hundreds of Astrids, since it's a very popular name. Instead, I decided to be nice. "And there's only one Hiccup."

He says nothing in response to that, but he does smile his goofy smile and I think his face turned red, but I couldn't really get a good look at it because next thing I know, he's suddenly getting up. "What are you doing?" I asked as I watched him used Toothless for support (he only has one foot at the moment).

"I have something for you." He says as he hops around his dragon. I look away, afraid that he might feel embarrassed. He seemed a bit embarrassed when he took his foot off earlier. Valka had told him to do it so he would be more comfortable. I know for a fact that Snotlout, Tuffnut, and Ruffnut would be laughing right now if they saw him hopping around. And what would I have done? I would have done nothing like I had always done before. I would have frowned and ignored it. Hell, that's what I'm doing now. I should apologize, but when? Do I just blurt it out or-

"You're going to love it." Hiccup says as he starts to rummage through his bags attached to Toothless's saddle. "Aha! Here it is." He starts to pull it out, but stops. He looks up at me and says, "Close your eyes."

My heart skips a beat at this. A surprise I need to close my eyes for? Oh shit, this is going to be my third surprise this night. I quickly sit back up and close my eyes like he told me to. "This better be good, Haddock."

"Don't worry, Hofferson. I'm sure it'll bring tears to your eyes," he replies, amused. I could see his smile in my head and it made my lips curl up as well.

"Is that so?" I asked. "Well, we'll see about that." I felt his presence right in front of me and it took all my might not to open my eyes right then. I had to fight even harder to keep my eyes close when I suddenly feel his hands grab mine. It made body tense, my heart skip, and my stomach flutter. What the Hel-

Before I could finish the thought, Hiccup is suddenly turning my hands over so my palms are facing the sky. "Keep your hands like this," he whispers and I nod, feeling anxious. Oh my Gods, if it's a dragon egg, I'm going to flip out. I _love_ baby dragons. I wonder if it's a rare, undocumented breed of dragon.

But instead of feeling the rough or smooth surface of a large oval egg, my hands felt a soft rectangular bundle of furs. What the fu- "Okay," Hiccup says, so softly I wasn't sure if he actually spoke or if I had heard it in my mind. "Open your eyes." I do as he says once more and just as I thought, my hands were holding nothing but furs that were tied together.

"Uh...wow." I reply, and as much as I tried to hold in my laughter, a little giggle managed to escape. "I...uh...I love it. I've always wanted furs."

Hiccup rolls his eyes then chuckles. "Of course you wouldn't feel the weight of it. Even after all these years it's still not heavy to you." He reaches forward and taps on the thick string that's tied around the furs. "Untie it. Your surprise is _inside_ the furs."

"Oh," I laugh again, feeling utterly stupid, and hoped he didn't see the blush that I felt painting itself across my face. I did as he said again and once the furs were opened, I gasped at the sight.

Is this... _my axe?_ Oh my Gods. When I asked what the Gods had planned next, I never expected this.

It looks just like how I remember it and yet it looks brand new. It's shinier, sharper, and the faded color on the handle has definitely been repainted. It's beautiful, and sure enough...it brought tears to my eyes. Gods damn it, Hiccup. You're an asshole. A wonderful, thoughtful asshole. I tried to fight my tears back, but the more I stared at the axe-at my reflection in the blade-the more I saw my mother, and I couldn't help it. Gods, I'm so weak.

"You're speechless, I see," Hiccup says, proudly, but then his tone turns nervous. "I hope you like it. You do like it, right? That's okay if you don't. I-I can fix it. I can return it to the way it was. Except this is what it actually looked like before the fading color and chipping blade. Also the rust. But if you don't like it I-I'm sure I can-Oh my Gods, you're crying. I didn't think it would actually bring tears to your eyes. You hate it, don't you? Oh, man, I...I'm so sorry. I thought-"

I didn't know that my tears had fallen until he mentioned it, and I didn't know what I was doing next until it was already too late. My arms were tightly wrapped around his neck, my axe now laying in the sand beside us, and I whispered my thanks in his ear. "Thank you, Hiccup. It's perfect. Absolutely perfect." I squeezed my eyes tightly shut and bit down on my lip to stop a sob from escaping. I'm already being way too embarrassing. I need to calm the Hel down.

But it's just...insane. After all this time, he really did take care of it. Hel, he made it even better. I mean, I never doubted that he wouldn't take care of it, but seeing it again, right before my very eyes, in better condition, makes everything feel like a dream once more. Because it was my _mother's_ axe before it was mine. I had nothing left of her, not even back on Berk, and now I do. Her clothes were the only thing she owned, the only things I would have had left, but they were burned to prevent her sickness from accidentally spreading to me. Gothi also had to cleanse the entire house with her incense and other remedies just in case. She and the other healers did that in every sick household.

Hiccup didn't hug me back at first, the shock evident in the tense way his body felt against mine, but after a few seconds he relaxes and hugs me back. "I'm glad you like it. It's helped me a lot. I think it might be blessed by the Gods and...and your mother. I...I'm very sorry for your loss."

I pull away, shocked, and look at him with incredulous eyes. I never told him of my mother dying. I told him about the other deaths, but never hers. "Wait, how did you-"

"I know you better than you think, despite the lack of interaction," he answered, smiling softly. "You would never cry over a weapon, not even an heirloom. And since I knew the axe belonged to your mother before you, well...it just kinda clicked that something must have happened. Especially since your whole demeanor changed when you were talking about Berk's fallen." His eyes glanced at my cheeks, which I realized were still stained with my tears.

I quickly wiped them away and take a moment to look at him, impressed. I then shake my head at the absurdity of it all and chuckle. "You really are smart."

"Did you think otherwise?"

"Sometimes, but you always did give me a reason to."

"Fair point."

I softly giggle before looking back down at my axe. I reach out to pick it up, the weight of it still very light to me even after all these years without it, and gave it a twirl. I grinned at how easy my hand maneuvers came to me and twirled it again. I still got it, but do I still have the aim?

"Do you want to take it for a throw?" Hiccup asked, snapping out of my trance.

"Tomorrow," I reply. Because despite how happy I am to have it back, my embarrassing crying fit made me extra tired. "Dawn is approaching soon. We should sleep. We have a big day tomorrow, after all. Unlike what you've been doing for a while, it's not every day that I get to track down a Light Fury."

"Your Soul Dragon," Hiccup clarifies.

I poke him in his shoulder. "Which you scared off."

"It's not my fault she got caught in my trap meant for wild boars." He says as he rubs the shoulder I had poked.

And since I didn't have anything smart to retort back, I said: "And now I think it's time you shut up and went to bed."

Hiccup laughs and as much as I tried not to, I laughed with him. I just keep failing to not show any emotions, don't I? "Goodnight, Astrid." He said as he stood up and hopped back to his spot beside Toothless.

"Goodnight, Hiccup." I wrap my axe back in its furs before wrapping myself in mine.

I debated on whether I should face the fire or not. By facing the fire, I'd also be facing Hiccup, who was also facing the fire, which meant we'd be facing each other, but by facing away I might end up cold. It won't matter anyway since I'll most likely be tossing and turning, I'm not sure I'll even be able to sleep, despite being tired as Hel. How can I after all that's happened?

What if this really is all a dream? What if when I wake up he'll be gone?

But as my heavy eyes closed, with Hiccup being the last thing I see, a current of reassurance washes through me. No this isn't a dream at all. I've had dreams where we were reunited, and they've never felt this real. That's because this _is_ real. I know it is, and I also know that it isn't the axe that is blessed.

It's me.

"And for the record," Hiccup says, right when I was almost unconscious. I kept my eyes close, but listened attentively. "I wouldn't have given you up so easily like they did. I would have fought for you. I would have fought _with_ you. I would have gotten you out of there, no matter the cost. Just like how you had done for me."

That's the same serious tone he had used all those years ago in the cove. The tone that convinced me of his worth. The tone that proved to me that he is Chief-material. I open my eyes then, instantly connecting with Hiccup's green ones, and saw that even his expression was serious. "I mean it," he went on. "Even if I couldn't use a weapon or punch to save my life, I would have done anything to save yours."

I smile, my heart racing at the words, and nod against my furs. "I know you would. But if we're ever in a dangerous, life threatening situation promise me you'll save yourself."

Hiccup scoffs. "Yeah, okay," he says sarcastically.

I narrow my eyes into a glare. "I mean it, Hiccup."

"Only if you promise first." His quick response made me purse my lips.

Shit, I...I can't promise him that. Asking him that question was dumb. Should have known it would backfire. Defeated, I turn around so my back faced him. "Fine. You win."

His chuckle reaches my ears. "I thought so."

I ignored him and once more tried to find the sleep he had taken. This time, there was no interruptions, and my last thought before I surrendered to sleep was that if we had actually made the promise…

Both of our claims would have been lies.


	12. Chapter 12

**OMFG HTTYD 3 IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND SAD AND AMAZING AND JUST ASDFGHJKL!**

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The feeling of a gentle nudge on my back causes me to wake from my deep slumber. My eyes flutter open, hurting a little at the bright sunlight that surrounded me, and I mumble a soft groan. I'm so tired. When did I go to sleep last night? What time is it? What day is it? Before I could even rub the sleep away from my eyes, a black figure is suddenly in my face and furiously licking me. I gasp at the suddenness of it and for a split second I panic, unsure of what the hell it was that was licking me, but then I hear Hiccup's voice telling Toothless to get off and just like that everything suddenly came back.

My one year anniversary away from Berk. Coming to the island. The Light Fury. Hiccup and Toothless. My axe. Hiccup. He's really here. It wasn't a dream. I start to giggle then, no longer feeling panicked and being able to feel the tickling of Toothless's tongue instead. I also laughed just because I was happy and still in disbelief.

"Toothless!" Hiccup says again, closer this time. For a brief moment, I opened my eyes and saw that he was trying to push Toothless away and failing miserably. "I said get off of her bud."

"Hiccup," I say as I continued to move my head back and forth to dodge Toothless's attacks, along with trying to hold in my laughter so I could breathe. "You...are doing...a horrible...job!"

"Sorry," Hiccup said, still struggling. "He's been wanting to wake you up for awhile now, but I told him to let you sleep."

Toothless suddenly licks my ear, which causes me to release the girliest squeal I have ever heard. "Ew, Toothless! Get off! That is disgusting."

This time, he does as he's told. I quickly sit up before he could change his mind and attack me again, and while I wipe his slobber away, glaring at him all the while, Toothless merely shook his body in excitement and smiled a toothless smile. "You need to learn some boundaries." I say, dead serious, but secretly playful.

"If you haven't already noticed," Hiccup says ashe stands next to his dragon and scratches him on top his head. "He's terribly grateful for your help in finding the Light Fury."

I know I said this already, but...he's really here. It wasn't a dream. It all really happened. One would think that Toothless would have been enough proof of that, but no. It's Hiccup. "Yeah well," I wiped the rest of the slobber off of my ear, grimacing in disgust when it clung to my hand. I wiped it on the furs I was sitting on as I continued. "Don't thank me yet." I noticed Valka and Cloudjumper were gone and asked, "Where's your mother?"

"She's doing one last check on the volcano," Hiccup replies. He takes a step toward me and reaches his hand out. "Need a hand?"

"I don't actually," I reply, but take it anyway. "But thank you." He pulls me up and once I was on my feet, I noticed something over his shoulder on the sand. I let go of his hand and walk around him towards the object that I realized was paper. "What's this?" I peered closer at the drawing and writing. "A map?"

Hiccup came to my side, peering down at his own handiwork too, and said, "It is actually. It's a combination of places I've been and places I have yet to go. I got the map from Heather and have added on to it."

There's that name again. Heather. The girl that helped Hiccup after he lost his foot to the flames when he saved her village from their Queen dragon. So she gave him a map too, huh? What else?

My throat suddenly felt tight and my stomach felt odd, probably due to hunger….maybe, and after clearing my throat, I point at one of the islands. "Do my eyes deceive me or does that really say Itchy Armpit?" I glance at him and see his face turn red.

"Yeah um..." Hiccup avoids eye contact as he nervously chuckles and rubs the back of his neck. "I didn't exactly name it."

"Let me guess," I gesture to his dragon who was, coincidentally, scratching his armpit. "Toothless named it for you?"

Another nervous chuckle followed by a nod. "He was the inspiration. So...yeah."

I smile, but it vanished in an instant when my stomach rumbled loudly. Very very loudly. So loud that it even took Toothless off guard. I feel my body stiffen and my face heat up. It became even redder when Hiccup laughed. "Someone's hungry."

"Shut up, you good for nothing fishbone!" I snapped, deeply embarrassed. My reaction only made him laugh some more.

"I love a mean nickname in the middle of the afternoon," he says. He then unlatches a hidden pocket in his dragon suit, which I'm just now realizing he hasn't once taken off yet, (surely it must be uncomfortable), and takes out a tiny bag. He extends it out for me to take and says, "I figured you'd rather have berries instead of fish, so I got these for you."

I take the small bag from him and looked inside. I was expecting a mixture of all kinds of berries, but he only had one kind. My favorite kind. How did he know? Did Valka tell him? Or did he know from past observations? Or what I like to call, stalking. I smile though, genuinely, and say, "Thank you." But not wanting to be too sensitive, I punched his shoulder and say, "Fishbone."

He rubs his shoulder, chuckling to hide his pain, which was evident in his eyes. "You're welcome...milady."

I didn't know what else to say, so I awkwardly smiled as a silence passed between us. It only lasted two seconds (not that I was counting) before Hiccup breaks it by suddenly bending down to fold his map up. "So uh," his voice cracked and he cleared it, "did you sleep well?"

He deliberately made his voice deeper to make up for when it cracked and I nearly snorted at its hilarity. I take a berry out from the bag and start pacing, "Yeah, surprisingly. I slept like a rock. You?" I popped the berry into my mouth, relishing at the taste, but also bugged out because of what was currently happening.

Small talk. The awkward atmosphere isn't helping either.

I honestly don't know what I was expecting. Of course there would be small talk amongst us, especially when everything important had already been said last night. What left is there to say? I know we'll eventually move past the awkward stage and I'll become content with having nothing to say to him, but until that happens I'm going to dread every second. We just need time to grow completely comfortable with each other. Like how it was with his mother.

"Honestly, no," he chuckles and stands up after folding his map. "My mind wouldn't stop…" he glances up at me then and cuts himself off. "...racing." He gulps then quickly looks away to put his map into a different hidden pocket.

"Well, for starters," I popped another berry into my mouth and started to circle him, eyeing him up and down to study the details of his suit further. "Maybe you're mind wouldn't race as much when you try to sleep if you slept in comfortable clothing. I mean seriously, Hiccup, this," I gestured to all of him, clad in his Night Fury suit. "This doesn't look comfortable at all. Badass for sure, but not comfortable."

Hiccup eyed me the entire time I eyed him as I circled around him, looking more curious than nervous, and when I stopped in front of him I see his lips curl into a smile. "Says the girl who wears a spiked skirt."

I scoff and grip the hem of my skirt with my free hand. "I'll have you know that this beauty is my most favorite piece of clothing, and is more comfortable than any piece of silk you can find."

Hiccup shrugs, not convinced. "Eh I could totally make you something to wear that would make your skirt look like a dirty old torn up rag."

I grip my bag of berries tight as I crossed my arms over my chest. "Is that so? And what exactly do you have in mind? A dragon suit like yours?"

Hiccup's eyes seemed to sparkle at that and says, "If that is what the lady wishes, then that is what she shall get."

I was joking around, but he looked and sounded serious. "Wait," I drop my arms to the side, "are you serious?"

A part of me was excited, but another part of me didn't want him to waste his time making me a suit. I don't want him to get so worked up over it, especially since it doesn't look like it'd be easy to make. I'll feel indebted. I already feel like that with Valka. I owe her so much for everything she has done. I mean, not only did she rescue me and has taught me everything I know, but she also unintentionally reunited me with her son. If it wasn't for her suggesting we come to this island to celebrate my one year away from Berk, we would never have run into Hiccup.

"Of course," Hiccup's smile is wide and his green eyes were consumed with pure excitement, "If you want me to."

"But do you want to?" I asked, making sure it was something he really wanted to do and paying close attention to his expression to see if there is a hint of hesitation or uncertainty. I'm not going to have him make it if he doesn't want to.

"Astrid," he replies, amused and serious. "I'd love to. It's not every day I get to create something for someone else. Even back on Berk, all my creations were for me. This will be fun."

"Fun?" I repeat, eyeing him weirdly. "You're idea of fun sounds boring and hard."

"That's only because you're idea of fun includes violence," Hiccup retorts, which led to him hissing in pain when I punched him in the arm again. "Ow! Ugh why would you do that?"

I shrugged nonchalantly as I smirked. "Just wanted to see if you were right. And you are." My smirk turned into a grin. "Violence is fun."

Hiccup playfully rolls his eyes. "Even more so when you get a scar out of it, huh?" The words sounded familiar, and it took me a few seconds to remember where I heard them from.

They were my words. In the arena on our first day of dragon training just a few years ago. Seems like a lifetime really.

"Pain," I say, remembering his words from the past, "love it." He was sarcastic when he said it, and when I repeated the words I mocked his voice, sounding even more sarcastic than what he was.

Hiccup laughs and shakes his head. "I did not sound like that."

"Like what? Yourself?" I teased.

"No," he lightly argues, "Like a poppy seed addict."

"A Popper I like to call them. And yes, you totally did sound like that."

"Did not."

"Did to."

"Did not."

"Did to."

"Are we seriously going to do this?"

"Only if you keep disagreeing with me."

Hiccup releases another genuine laugh and my cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling so much."Still stubborn as always."

I cocked my head to the side, trying to ease my smile so it wouldn't hurt as much."What made you think that changed?"

Hiccup opens his mouth, but he was cut off by a dragon's roar and the sound of thundering wings from above. I turn just in time to see Cloudjumper land. Valka removed her mask, but remained standing on the back of her dragon. "Good afternoon, Astrid. I was wondering when you were going to wake up." She then briefly pauses to take in what she was seeing. Her lips curl into the smuggest smirk I have ever seen."Am I interrupting something?"

I had no idea what she was referring to until I looked back at Hiccup in confusion. That's when I realized how close the two of us were standing next to each other. How did that happen? "Nope," I say as I quickly step away from her son and move towards her as though that was my true intention. "We just got done actually, so you've came right on time."

Valka raises a suspicious eyebrow and slightly tilts her head. "Oh?" she says. "Got done doing what exactly?"

My eyes widen at her accusing words and my face heats up badly. I glare at her, knowing exactly what she was insinuating, but it was Hiccup who responded. Thank the Gods. I don't think my flustered self would have been able to form a sentence. I can't believe she would tease me like that in front of her son. Or perhaps it was Hiccup she was trying to rile up? Is she trying to kill two birds with one stone?

I glance over at Hiccup again as he speaks and see that his face is just as red as mine feels. It was kinda...cute. "Arguing over whether I should make her a dragon suit or not. I'll make you one too, mom. As soon as we find and tame the Light Fury I'll start on both. I'm going to need to Light Fury's scales so I can make yours, Astrid."

"Actually," I start, trying not to sound too picky or greedy, "I'd rather not have my suit be white. White gets dirty too easily and it'll just be a pain to constantly clean. Plus, I look awful in white."

Hiccup laughs and not being convinced he says, "You look amazing in all colors. Plus what are you going to wear on your wedding day then if not white? It's traditional."

"What?!" I blurt out, surprised at how stupid he sounds, and immediately start laughing. "Oh my Gods, Hiccup, are you serious? Who and when, in Freya's name, do you think I'm going to marry? I'm not exactly courting anyone at the moment. I can't. I'm far too busy living with dragons and saving them, far away from civilization. Which, need I remind you, is not traditional at all amongst us Vikings." I gesture to him and smirk, "I have you to thank for that. You broke me from my traditional views."

"Plus, you never were one for traditions anyway, Hiccup," Valka agrees, chuckling. "I'm sure Astrid will look wonderful in whatever color she chooses for your wedding."

"Our wedding?!" Hiccup and I exclaimed in unison as we looked at his mother in utter shock. We hurriedly glanced at each other, wondering if the other heard the same thing, and looked back at the older woman again.

Valka leans forward against her dragon's head and releases a full-hearted laugh. "Oh relax, you two. I'm just teasing. Although," her smile widened, "it would only make sense for you to marry. After all, you're the same age, you're both dragon lovers with similar soul dragons, your personalities match up much like mine and Stoick's, you both obviously like each other a lot, the chemistry is definitely there, and the flirting and sexual tension is very-"

"MOM!" Hiccup exclaimed at the same time I exclaimed: "VALKA!" Can my face get any redder?

And oh my gods, are we really having this conversation right now? Her son literally just got back last night and I don't even like him that way. I barely know him on a deep, personal level, which is something all couples should know about their partner before they marry, which is something that I...that I want. Not necessarily with Hiccup, but I mean in general. Honestly, the thought of marriage never crossed my mind, not even after with what happened with Sylvester, who wanted to marry me. I grew up training to be a warrior, not a wife. I knew that I had many suitors, Snotlout being the most persistent, but none of them mattered because I knew it wasn't the life that was meant for me. It still isn't.

And yet, now that it's brought up, I honestly don't think I would mind it so much now. I mean, I don't live amongst a Viking society anymore, therefore I don't have to follow the expectations of a proper wife or wedding. So yeah...I want marriage for love. It's so weird saying that, even without the last two words.

"What?" Valka says, in false innocence. "I'm only stating the facts-"

"Which are clearly wrong," I interrupt, desperate to have the conversation end. "Can we please move on from this and start looking for my dragon?"

Valka sighs. "Oh I suppose, but on one condition."

I cross my arms, already not liking it. "And what's that?"

Very nonchalantly, she says: "You ride my son."

Is that my face going red again? Yep. Valka sure has never acted like this before, it's very out of character of her, but then again...this is her son who she hasn't seen in a long time and who I've never seen her act around. He is also someone we both know has had a crush on me. **Had**. Surely he doesn't anymore...right? Our time away from each other has surely caused his crush to fade. Anyway, I'd be acting the same way as Valka if I were in her shoes. Embarrassing your children is part of the job of being a parent.

Hiccup spoke up in a stutter, but at least he was able to form words. I was too stunned to even think, because I knew exactly what she meant. "You forgot the word 'with'." His face is just as read as mine, maybe even redder, indicating that he knew exactly what his mother meant too.

Valka smirks. "No, I didn't. Now," she clasped her hands together, "you two gather everything up, while I get a headstart on our search. Let's go, Cloudjumper." He obeyed and the two were in the sky before another word could be spoken.

Hiccup and I watched her every movements as she left, not saying a word until she was completely out of sight, and even then it took us a few seconds to come up with something to say...which was the same thing again.

"Thank Thor that's over."

We look at each other in surprise before we instantly burst into laughter. "You've got to stop reading my mind." He says, looking a little sheepish.

"Why? It's so fun in there," I tease, feeling like I was in control again now that I wasn't the one being teased at. "Are you afraid I'll see something naughty?"

Hiccup rolls his eyes, as if unbothered, but the new redness that formed in his cheeks told me otherwise. "That depends on your definition of naughty. Cause mine is when I play tricks on Toothless and vice versa. He does not play fair. What's your definition?"

I grin mischievously. "I'll show you later."

"When you ride me?" His expression mirrored mine.

My grin only seemed to widen. Teasing each other on our own is way more comfortable than when his mom did it. That was way awkward. I'm a little surprised at how easily we just went with it after Valka left. "Perhaps, but first," I move past him towards the supplies, "we have a mission to accomplish."

I began gathering everything, Hiccup doing the same not even a moment later, and after a few minutes of comfortable silence, he speaks. "So about your suit, what type of dragon would you like it to be? I really am serious about making it."

I kept my eyes on my furs that I was folding, but smiled wide. "A Deadly Nadder. They're my favorite."

"Any color preferences? Nadders are the most colorful of dragons, after all."

A certain blue Nadder I had befriended comes to mind and I smile fondly at the memory of her. "Blue," I say, then go on to explain why. "Like the Nadder in the arena all those years ago. Stormfly I like to call her. I hadn't seen her for years until last year when your mom brought me to the Sanctuary where Stormfly had been living at. I knew it was her immediately. She was the quickest dragon that I formed a bond with. Not a soul bond, but still a bond nonetheless."

I pause as worry set in. "Unfortunately," I continue, not even hiding the worry in my voice,"we haven't seen her in two months. I'm sure that she's fine and living a new life away from the Sanctuary, but," I stop to chuckle, "I like to call myself the Mother of Dragons, even though the title belongs more to your mom. I consider them my children too though and I can't help but worry."

I look up at him them, not at all surprised to see that he was staring at me (I felt him do it once I started talking) and added: "Just like how I did with you everyday since you left."

Hiccup's eyes slightly widen. "You worried about me?"

"That's literally what I said. Also, did I not mention that last night?" I question, genuinely unsure.

Hiccup smiles softly and shrugs. "Honestly, last night felt like a dream."

"Same here." I agreed as I finished folding my furs. "It's probably going to take us forever until we realize that we're for real back in each other's lives. I guess we should enjoy this dream-like state while it lasts. Cause once we're used to each other's presence, I can already see us butting heads at each other."

Hiccup chuckles. "Nah. I see us getting along rather well. "

I raise an eyebrow. "Is that so? What makes you say that?" I put my furs in their basket and look up at Hiccup as he replied.

"Well," he says as he tighten a strap on Toothless's saddle, "Of all the things that both my mother and father have said to me, it's that a woman is always right. You won't have to worry about butting heads with me. I'll agree with whatever you say."

"That's such a lie," I argued, being serious because I knew there would some things he wouldn't agree with me on, such as things that could be a risk to my life. It'd be the same vice versa. I was also trying to trick him to see if he would agree with me like he said he would.

"No it isn't," He said, falling for my sorta-trick.

"What happened to agreeing with whatever I say?" I question, making him pause and causing Toothless to make a noise that sounded like dragon laughter. I couldn't stop myself from laughing with the Night Fury.

"Oh ha ha," Hiccup says, sarcastically, flicking his dragon's ear, which causes Toothless's laughing to abruptly stop and for him to glare at his rider. I was smiling fondly at them, but quickly ended it before Hiccup could catch me and went back to packing the rest of the supplies.

A few minutes later, we're ready to go.

"Okay," says Hiccup as he settles into his saddle, his whole demeanor changing to nervous and tense, but he still manages to look at me. "So...um...you ready for this?"

"Of course," I say, confused as to why he's acting so weird all of a sudden. I go to get behind him on the saddle, and as I lift up my leg I say: "This brings back memories." I continued once I was settled in behind him: "It feels like it was only yesterday when you kidnapped me and took me on my first flight."

Hiccup scoffs. "I did not kidnap you."

"There you go again," I tease, "not agreeing with me."

Hiccup chuckles and slightly turns his head to look back at me. "Okay, you know what? I take back everything I said earlier. I think we're going to butt heads after all."

"Well, if you keep disagreeing with me then we definitely will," I say as I placed my hands on his shoulders to give me something to hold on to. Wrapping my arms around his waist or putting my hands on his hips is too...intimate. I mean, it's only intimate if I make it feel that way; it could totally be platonic if I just set my mind to think that way, but...I can't. It's not an easy thing to do.

Hiccup seemed to tense more too when he felt my hands. I wonder if this closeness is why he suddenly went tense and nervous just a moment before. Damn you Valka. I'm so going to give her a piece of my mind when I get her alone. I have no doubt that Hiccup will do the same. "Okay," I say, since Hiccup didn't say anything, "let's do this."

Hiccup clears his throat and says to his dragon, "Alright, Toothless. Let's go find your crush."

And just like that, everything happened so fast that it was a blur.

Toothless had become overly excited, and much like my first time riding him, he's in the air before I could blink, taking off so fast that I scream in surprise as my heart stops. My eyes instantly close and I move just as fast, no longer holding on to Hiccup's shoulders, but was instead hanging on to him by his waist, my arms wrapped tightly around him, and my face buried into his back.

"Hiccup!" I growled once I had found my breath. "If Toothless keeps taking off without a warning and it ends up killing me, I'm going to end up killing you."

"What? Why? It's not like I told him to do that!" Hiccup defends, amusement coating his tone. "Sorry, by the way. He's just as excited as you are about finding the Light Fury. You okay?"

"I've handled worse," I say as I remove my head from his back and look down at the world below us. It's such a beautiful sight. "And I don't blame Toothless for being excited," I continue as I looked on at the world. "This is pretty exciting. Right, boy?" I pat Toothless's side while he gives a growl in reply, agreeing with me.

And as our flight continued, I deliberately kept my arms around Hiccup's waist. Not because I wanted to, but because I knew I needed to. Leaning against him is not only good for my back posture but it's also good for keeping me warm too. I'm only doing it for my health. That's all.

And there's nothing weird or wrong about it.

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 **Sorry if this chapter sucks. I've been super busy with college essays to put a lot of thought into it. It's mostly just filler fluff which honestly, I don't see anything wrong with. I hope you enjoyed! Tell me your favorite parts about The Hidden World and also what should we call the Light Fury in this story? I've heard that Luna is her name, but I kinda want to do something different. Like Moondancer or something. What do you guys think?**


	13. Chapter 13

_One Month Later_

Bark flew off the tree when the blade of my axe impaled it, sinking itself deep within the wooden flesh. I stomp my way over to it and angrily take hold of the handle, easily ripping it out before I quickly repeated the action I had been doing for the past hour. I had hoped that within the first few minutes I would cool off, but I had only seemed to get more fired up the more I threw my axe. If Hiccup or Valka were here they would have noticed the increase of my anger in the force of my throw that kept sinking my axe deeper and deeper into the trees that it would impale, along with the few growls that had escaped my throat.

They're not here though because they're back at the Sanctuary sleeping. I had left an hour before dawn, and with the sun now up Hiccup should be awake. He's an early riser. The only reason why I was awake before him and why I left the Sanctuary is because I couldn't sleep and needed to clear my head. I hadn't slept at all. Tossed and turned the whole night until I had finally decided to move around. Which leads me to where I'm at now. Outside the Sanctuary, deep within the woods, so I can get all my anger and frustration out on the poor trees. I would have stayed within the Sanctuary's woods, but some of the dragons are still traumatized by weapons, and knowing how loud my angered cries can get, I didn't want to wake anyone.

Not only because I didn't want to disturb anyone's sleep, but also because I didn't want to be confronted by Hiccup or Valka. I want to be left alone, I've been wanting that for the last fews days since we've returned to the Sanctuary for a short "break".

We've been searching for the Light Fury for an entire month and every place we've been to has no sign of her. We don't even know what signs to look for. We've literally just been flying island to island looking for a white dragon. We have no leads, and I don't think we ever will. I'm honestly starting to think that maybe she's not my Soul Bonded dragon after all. Maybe that indescribable feeling I had when she woke me up and locked eyes with me was just a feeling of awe. It was simply nothing but fear and wonder. Our souls didn't connect. They didn't bond. If they did, why haven't we found each other yet?

It didn't take Hiccup long at all to find Toothless again after he shot him down and let him go. When he found his dragon again in the cove all those years ago, it had only been a day or two after their first encounter. It's been a month for me. And Valka? Ha! Her Soul Dragon took her. If the Light Fury wants to kidnap me then I'll gladly oblige. It's happened to me twice before, first with Hiccup and second with his mother. I can handle a third kidnapping.

I'm just...so tired and annoyed and pathetically jealous of Hiccup and Valka. I want to be able to ride my own dragon. I mean, I like flying with Hiccup, but I feel bad for Toothless since he has to carry my extra weight. I know he's frustrated too at not finding his crush. It'd be a shame if she already has a mate and children. Oh my gods...what if that's why we haven't found her? What if she has kids?!

A roar snaps me from my thoughts at the exact moment I yank my axe out of a tree again. I look up just in time to see a black figure fly overhead. Usually, I would smile at the sight, but this time I'm in no mood for company. I want to be left alone. It's the whole reason why I left the Sanctuary's boundaries.

"Good morning, milady," Hiccup says from the tree Toothless had just landed on. "Why are you awake so early? More importantly, why are you out here?"

I lift my axe up to rest it against my shoulder, holding on to the handle tightly as I ignored the itch to throw it again. I hadn't realized how much my hand was throbbing until now. My other hand was placed on my hip and as I looked up at him I say, "I couldn't sleep so I came out here an hour before dawn to clear my head. Didn't want to disturb anyone in the Sanctuary, so the outerwoods was my only option. I want to be left alone, so...bye."

Another reason why I left the Sanctuary was because I had thought it would take Hiccup or Valka longer to find me. Obviously, I was wrong. He must have had Toothless catch my scent. I turn to walk away, but Hiccup calls out to me, which stops me. "Hey, wait," he says, "what's wrong?"

I roll my eyes and say, "Nothing's wrong. I'm just tired and want to be alone for awhile, okay?" I turn back around and continued walking, expecting him to call out to me again.

He doesn't.

Instead, I hear the whooshing of Toothless's wings and the rattle of the leaves on the tree branches when he takes off. A part of me is relieved, but another part of me is annoyed. Wow, he really put up a fight there, didn't he? I can't complain too much though. Hiccup respects my wishes, which is rare to find in human males.

I haven't had time for myself in a month. It's nice to have once in awhile. With Valka, I was able to have as much alone time as I wanted, but with Hiccup? I want to be around him, and I'm pretty sure he wants to be around me. He hasn't given me any hints that he doesn't. Because knowing Hiccup, he isn't going to say it straight up. He's going to give hints. We've been inseparable since our reunion a month ago, so being alone right now is weird but it's definitely nice too. I like being with him better, but when you're in a mood it's best to be alone.

Unfortunately, I was mistaken.

I hear the rustling of the branches again, and as soon as I look up, I see Hiccup's body coming down, landing right in front of me, and startling me so much that I actually gasp out loud and step back. "For Odin's sake Hiccup! What-"

"You know you can talk to me about anything," he interrupts as he takes a step closer. "Whatever's troubling you...let it trouble me too."

I couldn't help but laugh at that. "Okay, that was the most lamest thing you have ever said to me."

Hiccup, to my surprise, doesn't crack a smile, which he usually does when I laugh. "I'm serious, Astrid-"

"So am I," I interrupt, my amusement gone. "Hiccup, can you just-"

"Leave you alone?" He finishes, eyes narrowed into a serious glare. "No. Whatever has you upset, I want to help cheer you up. If this is about the Light Fury-"

"Of course this is about the Light Fury!" I snap. "When is it never about the Light Fury? It's always about her and I'm getting pissed!" I turn my back to him and stomp towards a nearby tree. I pinned my axed into it and sank to my butt afterwards to sit down. With my butt on the ground and my back against the tree, I bring my knees up to my chest and folded my arms over them to rest my head on.

"We can't find a dragon that doesn't want to be found, Hiccup," I continue, calmer now. "We did nothing but waste time, and by leaving again after our break is over, that's all we're going to be doing. Wasting time. She's not my Soul Bonded dragon, Hiccup, and she most likely already has a mate and children. Toothless will need to move on just as I will."

I stared at the grass the entire time I spoke, and I kept my gaze there as Hiccup came to my side and sat next to me. He didn't say anything for a moment, and I was glad for it. But of course, that moment didn't last long and he's breaking the silence. "What did you do with my Astrid?"

Confused, I snap my head over to him and say, "Excuse me?"

"My Astrid isn't a quitter, so obviously you're an imposter," Hiccup explains and nudges me with his shoulder. "So what did you do with her?"

I scowl as I roll my eyes again and look away from him. " _Your_ Astrid is still here, Hiccup. I'm not an imposter, nor am I a quitter. I'm a realist. I'm logical."

Hiccup hums in thought. "You sound more like a coward to me."

"A coward?!" I repeat, incredulously as I turn my head back to him. "How the Hel am I a coward? I am no coward Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third."

Despite my glare, which I know made him nervous since he leaned back a little, he manages to crack a lopsided smile. "Then prove it. Let's continue searching for her."

"We don't have any leads on her," I declare, trying to knock some sense into him.

"Excuses, excuses," He says, waving me off. "You never gave up on me and you weren't even entirely sure I was alive. Why can't you do the same for the Light Fury?"

His words stun me into silence. Oh my gods...I hadn't thought of it that way.

"Well?" Hiccup urged when I didn't answer right away.

"Because…" I start, feeling a little shy as I thought of my answer, knowing exactly how it might sound to him. "You were more important to me. I don't have to have hope for my dragon because I can live without her. I have for my entire life. But...it was different with you because...I couldn't live with the thought of you being dead. I couldn't give up, I had to have hope for my sanity." I shyly look over at him to see his reaction and just as I had expected, his face is red and he's looking shy too. I'm blushing as well, I can feel the heat in my cheeks, but I swear it's not because I like him.

It's because being sentimental like that is awkward for me. I'm not used to it, especially when my honest yet tender words are spoken towards a boy I know once liked me. I'm afraid he'll get the wrong idea and his feelings will emerge again, if they even left in the first place. I don't want to lead him on, but I'm not going to lie to him either. I never gave up on him as quickly as I had with the Light Fury because he really was more important to me. That's the honest truth. He is more important to me, and I know he has a world to change for the better, which is way more important than helping me find a dragon.

That's another reason why we need to stop searching. We need to focus more on bringing peace to all dragon infested islands with villages. Besides, it's as I said: I've survived all my life without my soul dragon, I can continue to do so.

"W-Well," Hiccup says nervously, clearing his throat afterwards to get rid of his cute stutter, "You have me now. I'm with you for however long you want me. But...it's time we make the Light Fury more important. Because believe it or not, she's your soul dragon. I know she is."

"Hiccup-"

"You might have given up, but Toothless hasn't. Right bud?" He and I both look up and see Toothless hanging upside down from a high tree branch, his wings wrapped around his body as he stared down at us. He smiles, which causes his tongue to droop out from the side of his mouth. I smile at that before sighing in defeat.

"Okay, fine," I agree as I get to my feet. "The search will go on." I extend my hand out for him to take, and he takes it with no hesitation. As soon as he was on his feet, I punch his shoulder, which makes him cry out in pain.

"Why the Hel would you do that?!" He said as he rubs the pained spot.

"That's for not leaving me alone, and this," I quickly lean forward to kiss his cheek, "is also for not leaving me alone." I pull away to give us some room, and smile at his surprised expression. His face is redder than what it was a moment before. I hope he's not getting any ideas. It was all platonic. I swear.

"I...um...thank you? I mean, you're welcome. I-"

I quickly turn him around so he's facing Toothless up in the tree and say, "Yeah, yeah. I get it. Now get out of here. I seriously need some me time and Toothless needs to fly."

"Okay, okay," Hiccup says, chuckling. He calls for Toothless, and a few seconds later, he's settled into his saddle, and is waving a me. "So...uh...see you in a bit?"

I nod. "Whatever you say, Chief." I can't exactly fly off anywhere.

Hiccup grimaces at the nickname. "I like Fishbone better."

I nearly laughed out loud, but I did grin. "Get out of here, Chief Fishbone."

Hiccup sighs as he shakes his head, but smiles nonetheless as he takes off without another word. I watch him fly away and made eye contact with him when he looks back at me. I wave and he waves back. I didn't move from my spot until he was no longer in sight, and when that happens, I grabbed my axe and started walking. I didn't throw it, I no longer felt the need to, so for the next twenty or so minutes, I walked and thought about everything that had just happened.

Hiccup had called me a coward, but gave no specific reasons. I know he was teasing, but what if he's right? Am I really a coward? I...I admit that I'm afraid that after all this time I could have been wrong about the bond. And I admit that I'm afraid I could be right. What if she doesn't like me? Just because our souls are bonded (maybe) doesn't mean she's going to like me. And what about the flying part? I'm so excited to learn, but I'm also scared. I've had Valka, and recently Hiccup, to hold onto when we fly, which honestly makes me sound like a child who clings to their caregiver and doesn't want to let go. I am not a child. I want to let go and do it on my own. I don't like relying on others. I can take care of myself, but...what if something goes wrong when we practice? What if I fall and die or what if she gets hurt?

And so, as my thoughts consumed me, I continued to walk and walk and walk until eventually…

I'm dangling in the air.

I let out a startled cry as the net ensnared me. "Great Odin's ghost!" I say as I tried to catch the breath that was stolen from me. I looked around me and saw nothing but rope and tree branches. My legs easily got tangled and as I struggled against the tied rope that made up the net, I went to reach for my axe at the same time, only to realize that it fell out of my belt and was now directly below me. Far away on the ground. Fuck.

I started to panic then and frantically began to jerk my legs everywhere in hopes they'd get untangled. Without my axe, I can't cut myself free. I'm stuck up here. Oh gods, I hope my scent will still be strong enough for Toothless to detect later. He and Hiccup will find me. There's no need to worry. I'd rather not depend on a man and his dragon, but sometimes that happens. I just need to relax until they find me. But how long will that be? I better not be stuck here for longer than six hours, or even worse...a day. Oh gods, I'm probably going to piss myself if I'm here for too long.

Who even set up this trap? The rope is thick enough to hold down a dragon-

And just like that it clicked. Oh no…

Dragon Trappers.

"Well, well, well," a male voice suddenly says from below me. I glance down but didn't see anyone, indicating that they're behind me. "What do I have here? You are definitely not a dragon."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," I snap as I tightly held onto two strands of rope to keep me from wiggling back and forth. "I've been told that I have the soul of a dragon, and trust me, you son of a bitch, I can be just as deadly."

"It's son of Eret, actually. Not son of a bitch." the man says, confusing me.

"What?"

I hear his footsteps make their way towards the front to where I can see him, the dead grass and leaves crunching with every step he takes, and through the corner of my eyes I see the top of his head first before I see his face and body. He's tall, broad-framed with scarred beefy arms, and has a tattoo on his chin. He has dark brown hair that, unlike Hiccup's, is actually tamed and neat. Two bangs drape in front of his ears, and he wears a beige-white tunic under a thick, sleeveless fur vest with a metal owl brooch pinned in it.

"I said-" The man starts, but I cut him off, not giving a flying fuck.

"Yeah, I don't care," I tell him as I lean back, trying to look comfortable so he could assume that his trap isn't a discomfort. "What I do care about is your name. So who the Hel are you?" I wasn't expecting him to answer me, but he does.

"It's Eret," he says. "Son of Eret."

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 **Yaaaaasssssss things are speeding up. I'm excited. Are you?**


	14. Chapter 14

**HELLO MY LOVELY READERS! Did you miss me? I sure missed you. So you don't have to read this but I just gotta let you all know why I haven't updated in awhile because I want to. I was supposed to update the chapter in the middle of March when I went on Spring Break but I was lazy, so that didn't happen. Then a week later my grandma dies and well...yeah. So there's that. I also had a 450 point writing assignment to focus on. Life fucking sucks, right? Anyway, let's get on with the show.**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

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I was silent for a brief moment after hearing his name, and while I tried to remain serious in my current situation, I couldn't stop the laugh from escaping. Honestly I didn't want to. He seems proud of his name, so of course I must degrade him for it. "Eret son of Eret?" I repeat, nodding in amusement. "How...original. I'm guessing your father is named Eret too? And your grandfather? And so forth?"

Eret smirks never faltered as he starts to circle around me. "Well, look at that. You're blonde and smart."

"Don't forget deadly," I remind him, smiling innocently. "I mentioned that before and I'll keep doing so until you believe me."

Eret stops circling me, standing below me in the spot where started from and where I could see him. An eyebrow was raised in genuine confusion. "What makes you think I don't believe you? Trust me...uh…"

"I'm not telling you my name."

"Fine. But as I was saying," he starts to pace back and forth in front of me instead of circling, perhaps to remain eye contact. "What makes you think I don't believe you to be deadly? I've met my fair share of warrior women. However, in the end," he chuckles, "no matter how hard they tried, they could never resist my charm. They always bent the knee for me."

I grimace, having an idea on what he meant, and feeling that my idea is right. "Okay, I did not need to know that, and for the record, I'm never going to 'bend the knee' for you. I'm…" Hiccup flashes through my mind then and before I could stop myself, I continue with: "...taken."

Eret shrugs, smirking as he does so and once again starts to circle around me. "Some of them were too. But if you're allegedly taken, where is your lover? Why aren't you two together?"

"I wanted time alone."

"Trouble in paradise?"

"The only trouble I've found is you."

"Is he or she nearby?"

"Why? You want a threesome?"

"Well, how can I refuse such an offer?"

"Hmm, well, sorry but he's not here right now."

"Ah so it's a he. That's disappointing."

"So are you. And I hope you know that if he was here right now, he'd have already have you blown to pieces."

"How so?"

"He has a Night Fury. Need I say more?"

A part of me regrets revealing that, but he has no idea if I'm telling the truth or not, so if I scare or worry him, I might be let go. He may be a dragon trapper or hunter or whatever the Hel they want to be called, but I doubt he's come across Night Furies and I'm sure he values his life. Therefore, if I scare him good enough, come up with believable lies about what Toothless can do, maybe this can work. However, there's a chance he might track me down if he releases me. I'd lead him right to Hiccup, Valka, and the dragons. If they find the Sanctuary, he and his men will have pretty much struck gold.

Which is why, if I am let go, I won't go back. I'll travel in a random direction and see what the future holds for me then.

"Did you say Night Fury?" Eret asked, seriously, before breaking his seriousness with a laugh. "If you think I'm going to believe that then you're dumb after all. I'm not stupid like you. Night Furies are extinct. I know this because I know the man who got rid of them."

My eyes widen at the words, my body stiffens, my heart races, and my blood runs cold. He knows the man who's killed every Night Fury in the world?! Now I definitely can't risk Toothless getting caught. It would destroy me, but Hiccup? It would kill him, and I won't let that happen. I refuse to let anything bad happen to either of them. "What's his name?"

"Nope," Eret says, popping the p as he shook his head. "That's classified information."

"If you tell me his name, I'll show you where the last living Night Fury is." A lie, of course, and he knew it, but it was worth the shot.

"Once again, no." All amusement is drained from his face and in its place is annoyance. "If it's real there's no way you'd risk its life. But it's not real, therefore you're lying about the Night Fury because you want me to let you go and blah blah blah. In the end, either by you or my superior, shit will happen to me and I'm not in the mood for it."

"You're scared that I'm telling the truth." I said it just to annoy him, but honestly I kinda think that a part of him believes me and is wary, which gets my hopes up.

Eret glares harder at me. "Scared? I think not. I'm not scared of dragons. My work revolves around them. If anything, dragons are scared of me. "

"Oh yes you are," I pressed on, forcing a laugh just to piss him off. "You're totally scared. You're scared of a dragon you've never seen before and have only heard in stories. You're scared of getting your ass beat by a girl because of your toxic masculinity. You're scared of this superior of yours. You, Eret son of Eret, are a pussy!"

Honestly? I don't know what I'm doing now. If scaring him doesn't work, then maybe pissing him off will. He looks like a violent person, so if I piss him off good enough, he'll want to beat me, and the only way to do that is to get me to the ground. I have a better chance of escaping once I get there.

A noise is heard in the back of Eret's throat, a groan or a growl, and when he digs into a pocket in his pants, I was expecting a knife to cut the ropes, truly believing that this was going to work, even if I get beaten so badly that I wouldn't recognize myself. Instead, a long wooden tube is revealed. Is that a flute?

"Aww," I taunt, hiding my confusion. "Are you gonna play a song for me? How sweet. I told you though, I'm taken."

Eret says nothing as he brings the tube to his lips, aims it at me, and blows. Something flies out of it in a blur, and next thing I know, something sharp pierces my leg, making me cry out in pain. "Ow! What the-" I look at my leg and see a dart sticking out of it, deeply impaled into my skin. Fire in my eyes, I look at Eret and screamed: "You fucking asshole! What did you just...just...what did you…what..."

My vision started to become blurry, everything slowly morphing into different shapes, as if I'm looking at the world's reflection in rippling water. Dizziness took over very quickly and my head frantically began to throb. I could feel it without touching it. My heart began to pound faster too. I could hear it in my ears. I feel like I'm going to puke, but most of all I feel like I'm going to go to sleep and it feels...pretty nice actually despite my throbbing head.

No wait! I can't. I can't go to sleep I gotta stay awake. I can't let my guard down. I gotta beat Eret's ass. I gotta...I gotta...I gotta do a lot. Wait, what am I doing?

"Don't fight it," says Eret or...some kind of fuzzy figure from below me. Is that Eret? Who is that? "You'll feel much better if you just let it take over." It sounds like him. His voice is so annoying.

Wait, what did he say? Let what take over? Yeah, okay. I can do that. Wait, what's going on?

And the last things I remember thinking before completely passing out was:

This did not go according to the plans that honestly sucked to begin with.

I did not see this coming.

And yeah...I feel pretty stupid for it.

Really fucking stupid.

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My vision is blurry when I wake up on the cold, damp floor, and after I blink and rub the sleep away from my eyes, I find myself trapped in a cell. A normal, human cell with thick rusting metal bars that were planted into the wooden floorboard on my sides and in front of me. Behind me was a wall which, thankfully, had a window. It was a barred window, but at least I'll still be able to see out of it. Which is the first thing I did when I got to my wobbling feet.

I don't get seasick, but seeing the miles and miles of sea made my stomach churn.

I'm on a ship, going who knows where, and I have no idea how I got here.

Wait.

And just like that, everything came flooding back. I was upset, went to the woods, stepped in a trap, met Eret, and he...the asshole tranquilized me. Is he on this ship or did he give me to someone else? Where am I being taken to? Did he or anyone else...do something to me when I was out of it?

I checked my body for bruises or scratches, along with making sure a certain someone wasn't sore and bloody, but everything came out fine. I don't think I was violated, and if I was...I don't want to find out. The only thing that's sore is my back from laying on it the hard floor.

A loud creaking of a door opening draws my attention over to its direction, and when I see the familiar face coming down the stairs that lead up to the deck of the ship, I scowl and force myself to remain quiet.

"Well, well, well," says Eret as he makes his way to me. "Look who's finally awake. How long have you been up?"

"How about you answer my questions first?" I reply, trying to be calm. I lean back against the wall and carefully watch him through the bars. "How long have I been out?"

Eret chuckles but says nothing as he walks over to the staircase and picks up a stool that sat along the wall next to it. He scoots it close to the bars and sits down, watching me just as closely as I was watching him. If anything is certain, it's that he's good at not blinking for a while. "Well?" I press, hating that I couldn't stay quiet and that he probably thinks I'm desperate. "Have I rendered you speechless? I tend to do that to males."

Eret laughs and it makes my blood boil. "Your confidence is just as bad as mine. I like it. I don't think Drago will though. But please don't restrain yourself around him. I'd like to see the outcome of it."

My boiling blood froze at the name he mentioned and my eyes widen. I heard none of his other words after that name, and I mentally scolded myself for not realizing sooner who his superior is. The one he mentioned before putting me to sleep. But just to be sure, I say: "What are you talking about? Where are you taking me? Who are you taking me to?"

And for a moment, I saw a very quick flash of guilt in his eyes. But I can't be too sure of it. Not with the dim lighting and the distance between us. I could still be a biz dazed from the dart. I did just wake up after all from being out of it. I just wish I knew for how long. Hiccup and Valka are most definitely searching for me now.

Eret opens his mouth to speak, but was cut off when the sound of a horn goes off. I didn't know what it meant, but he did and he sighs. He says nothing as he gets to his feet and puts the stool back to where he got it. I thought he was going to leave without saying a word, but as soon as his left foot is on the first step, he stops, and looks back at me.

"You woke up just in time, princess," he says, but there wasn't any smugness. Just...guilt. Which I could definitely see now. "It's time for you to face the dragon."

And I knew he didn't mean an actual one.

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 **If you felt this chapter was meh then I agree. Better luck next time tho! Stay tuned :D**


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